Rheumatic Heart Disease:

Worldwide, rheumatic fever is the most common cause of heart disease, and the most common cause of heart failure in patients under 30 years of age. Ironically it is also the only truly preventable chronic disease and theoretically could be wiped out in one generation by very simple and low cost measures.

It has been stated that the only factor that determines the prevalence of Rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease is the socio-economic status of the people "A sore throat could damage your heart", this is a key message of the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Children's Programme. Rheumatic fever follows a neglected sore throat (strep infection) in children aged 3 to 15 years. The condition is of great concern in poor and overcrowded communities, repeated infections cause damage to the heart and by their late teens or early 20's the victims then need expensive valve replacement surgery, and this in the prime of their lives. These young adults are generally referred to state hospitals where waiting lists are up to two years.

Not only does this put a burden on the state coffers but for the many patients it is as good as being on death row - their quality of life by this stage is such that they are so ill that they are unable to work and many will die while waiting their turn. Due to the leaking valves they are at risk of heart failure, they experience shortness of breath, body swelling, often can't sleep at night, and in general are incapacitated and need to be cared for. After surgery they are either put on Warfarin for the rest of their lives or require further surgery.

The tragedy is that caught in time, rheumatic fever can be effectively treated with a simple penicillin injection. Since penicillin was never patented it is a very cheap drug to produce.

We, the Heart and Stroke Foundation are passionate about fighting this unnecessary curse; with funding and public champions of the cause, we can change the fate of many South African children."

Obesity in children:
The negative effects of unhealthy eating and nutrition affects all of us and is increasingly luring its ugly head amongst our children - 17% of South African children between the ages of 1-9 years of age are overweight. Childhood obesity is linked primarily to unhealthy eating habits, but also to the fact that children today are a lot less active than in the past. At the same time as many as 19% of children are stunted because of insufficient food intake.

To prevent heart disease in adults, we should start encouraging a healthy lifestyle in our children from a young age. It is much easier to change bad habits and get into a good routine when young, rather than wait until these habits have become too ingrained. At the Heart and Stroke Foundation, our aim is to instill healthy habits in young children in order to set them up for a healthy and disease-free life. By preventing obesity in children, we hope to prevent onset of many of the diseases associated with obesity.

What to do?

To prevent the development of obesity and other diseases later in life, children should learn to eat healthily and get into a routine of regular physical activity.

1. Integrated treatment:
   For overweight children, the initial goal of treatment should be to reduce the rate of weight gain with continued growth so that the desired change in weight for height is reached. An integrated approach would involve a balanced diet, together with an increase in physical activity as well as psychological support and behavioural changes. It is necessary for the whole family to look at their lifestyle and make the appropriate changes.
2. Exercise:
   Children should not only increase their physical activity, but should also decrease the time they spend on sedentary activities such as watching television and playing computer games. Children over 5 years old should be moderately active for at least 30 minutes every day and do at least 30 minutes of vigorous physical activities at least 3-4 times a week.
3. Healthy eating:
   Children should eat at least three times per day and have snacks in between, depending on their appetite and activity level. A variety of food should be included in the diet, from all 5-food groups. To get a good start to the day, breakfast is vital.

BACK TO TOP