Obese children as young as 12 show signs of heart disease

Published on Monday 31 August 2009 21:35

OBESE children as young as 12 are already showing early signs of heart disease, researchers have said.

Scientists warn that 26 million children in the European Union will be overweight by next year – and 6.4 million of those will be obese.

And even in early childhood, being overweight increases the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.

Scientists in Barcelona studied 80 obese or overweight children with an average age of 12, comparing them with a control group of 60 lean youngsters. The larger kids had higher cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as more signs of pre-diabetes.

Now researchers are looking into "endothelial dysfunction" – a thickening of the arteries associated with heart problems. By studying how easily the forearm relaxes, scientists are able to monitor the degree of the dysfunction.

And in some of the obese children, they discovered they had a similar level of the condition to adults with chronic heart disease.

Presenting their findings at the European Society of Cardiology, the researchers said: "Endothelium-dependent relaxation of forearm arteries is already impaired by the same as in adults with chronic heart failure, and this in our 12-year old obese children."

The scientists argued: "Primary or secondary prevention strategies starting early in childhood should aim at reversing current increase in childhood obesity.

"These strategies can be initiated at home and in preschool institutions, schools or after-school care services to influence diet and physical activity in the entire children population. However, further research needs to explore the most effective strategies to prevent and treat obesity.

"Already in early childhood, overweight and obesity are associated with the risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels."