It's never too early to start teaching your children about the value of heart health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated one in every four deaths can be attributed to heart disease. February marks National Heart Health month, and it's important to teach your children healthy habits. Currently, at least 12 million children are obese. And it's not hard to understand that unhealthy children grow into unhealthy adults. That's why it's important for parents to start teaching kids healthy habits at a young age. Of course, in addition to keeping your children informed about the dangers of being at an unhealthy weight, there's no substitute for a balanced diet and regular exercise. According to the CDC, children should participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. At least 30 minutes should be during the school day. If you feel your child isn't on the move enough, sign him up for a sport.

Even better, find activities that you can do as a family. Take the kids for a walk after dinner every evening. Make it a habit -- like washing the dishes or clearing the table. Replace TV time with good old outdoor fun. It goes without saying that incorporating a balanced diet for your child is an integral part of ensuring that maintain optimum heart health. Stay away from heavily processed foods such as chips, cakes, crackers and other products that increase the bottom line. Add more vegetables and fruits to your children's diet to meet the five-a-day recommendation. Children should eat their fruit, not drink it. Juices are often loaded with sugar and calories. Sodas should also be eliminated from their diet. Make water the beverage of choice for your kids. The end goal is to make healthy habits become a way of life so that your healthy children grow into healthy adults. This year, take heart health a little more personally.