Fat kids face future of poor heart health

RESULTS of a study that followed 1186 children from birth to 14 years of age shows that participants who show greater adiposity in early life are at a substantially increased risk for hypertension and cardiometabolic problems in later life.

A group led by Professor Lawrie Beilin (University of Western Australia, Perth) found that the top 32% of the high-risk children showed blood pressure changes, which were equivalent to 40% of the adult population risk for stroke.

Regardless of whether children were born below, of normal birth weight, or greater than average birthweight, if they then went on to show rapid weight gain they had increased blood pressure detectable as early as 3 years of age.

“If we could both reduce the number of overweight babies, and reduce amount of fat which children accumulate in early life, then we would see lower levels of risk for hypertension and diabetes, and other metabolic conditions,” Professor Beilin said. “By not controlling weight in childhood and adolescence, we risk predisposing many of these children to an early death.”