What are the chances of a 19 year old having a heart attack?

What are the chances of a 19-20 year old getting heart attack?

• My summer break just got over(after about 2 months) and I can honestly say that I have not been eating well. Almost no exercise. Just been sitting in front of the computer, eating junk food and taking online courses. I had stomach ache once or twice. How do I eat healthy and what are the chances that I contract a serious illness?

• Answer:

  You're not going to have a heart attack because of two months of bad food, unless your father and grandfather also died of heart attacks at a very early age.  You probably know this already. You will die of a heart attack faster / younger than your healthy-eating peers, but it will take a while--like 50 instead of 70, or 70 instead of 90. You will be much more likely to get Type2 diabetes, which increases your heart attack risk, as a result of your lifestyle choices. In all of the "lifestyle" diseases, you have a buffer--20 years or so, depending on what your parents and grandparents gave you in the genetic lottery--of "good" health, before the macaroni hits the fan.  The hard part is realizing when you're 20 how close 40 actually is.  Many of us on the high side of 40 rather wish we'd understood those years & choices differently. Good luck.