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Childhood obesity can increase risk of future heart attack and stroke in the absence of other risks.

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Childhood obesity is now found to boost the risk of future heart disease and stroke even in the absence of other risk factors. The study, published in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM) suggests that aggressive treatment of childhood obesity before onset of puberty could also reduce the risk of future cardiovascular events.

"This new study demonstrates that the unhealthy consequences of excess body fat start very early," said Nelly Mauras, MD, of Nemours Children's Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida and senior author of the study. "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.

Metabolic syndrome is a contributor to heart disease that includes low levels of good (HDL) cholesterol, abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, elevated inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein) in the bloodstream, and higher levels of fibrinogen that can lead to blood clots. The new study revealed that for children who are obese, the risk for future heart attack begins before signs of metabolic syndrome develop.

The researchers compared obese children to lean children. Participants of the study were age 7 to18- the scientists included 202 individuals – 87 with lean body mass and 115 obese children, finding that CRP levels were ten times higher in obese children compared those who were lean. Obese children also had abnormally high fibrinogen levels that produce blood clots. Risk factors for future heart attack and stroke were present before age seven in children who were otherwise completely healthy.

"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. Further studies are needed to offer more insight into the effects of therapeutic interventions in these children.” The findings suggest that obese children are at risk for future heart attack and stroke from increased markers of inflammation and abnormally high levels of fibrinogen even in the absence of metabolic syndrome that is known to boost heart attack risk in adulthood. Visit NC Health Info for more information about preventing childhood obesity.

J Clin Endocrinol Metab .2010; 0: jc.2009-1887v1
 

Childhood obesity is a genuine concern for future heart attack