Obese Kids May Face Heart Risks Later

Children who are obese at age 7 face a higher risk of heart disease and stroke later in life, according to a new study from Nemours Children's Clinic.

"The unhealthy consequences of excess body fat start very early," said Dr. Nelly Mauras. "Our study shows that obesity alone is linked to certain abnormalities in the blood that can predispose individuals to developing cardiovascular disease early in adulthood.

These findings suggest that we need more aggressive interventions for weight control in obese children, even those who do not have the co-morbidities of the metabolic syndrome."

Mauras studied if the risk of heart problems went up even before a child was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, which is a combination of risk factors such as abdominal fat, low levels of "good" cholesterol, high blood pressure or blood sugar problems.

Researchers studied 202 children ages 7 to 18; 115 were obese and 87 were lean.

The participants were screened for markers in the blood that are signs of developing cardiovascular disease. Obese children had 10 times higher levels than the leaner children who matched them in age and sex. And the differences showed up even in the youngest members.

Mauras said the results are interesting, because the children seemed healthy otherwise.

"Doctors often do not treat obesity in children now unless they have other features of the metabolic syndrome," Mauras said. "This practice should be reconsidered."

The study was accepted for publication in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.