Montreal, Canada (AHN) – New research finds that the blood vessels of obese children show signs of stiffness normally seen in much older adults with cardiovascular disease.
“We were surprised to find that these obese children already have stiff blood vessels,” says Dr. Kevin Harris from B.C. Children’s Hospital. “Aortic stiffness is an early indicator of cardiovascular disease in obese children.” He says it is as if the aging process has been accelerated in their aorta.
The aorta is the largest artery in the human body. It carries and distributes oxygen-rich blood to all the other arteries and normally acts as a buffer to the pumping action of the heart.
Typically a marked increase in aorta stiffness is linked to aging and is a strong predictor of future cardiac events and mortality in adults.
“The normal aorta has elastic qualities that buffer the flow of blood. When that elasticity is lost, aortic stiffness results – a sign of developing cardiovascular disease,” Dr. Harris told the meeting. “Aortic stiffness is associated with cardiovascular events and early death.”
The results of the study were presented at the 2010 Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, co-hosted by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
To see actual changes to the performance of the heart and blood vessels in obese children is extremely alarming, says Heart and Stroke Foundation spokesperson Dr. Beth Abramson.
“We know there is an association between unhealthy lifestyles and heart disease. Our kids are at risk,” she says. “Poor nutrition and inactivity are threatening their health and well-being. We must rethink the lifestyle standards we have accepted as a society to protect the future health of our kids.”
The rate of childhood obesity in North America has nearly tripled over the last 25 years and it continues to rise. The health risks to overweight and obese children include heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.
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