Childhood Obesity Could Increase Risk Of Heart Disease

childhood obesityAs the country’s first lady works tirelessly to do something about reducing childhood obesity, there is more and more attention being given to possible future problems that could be caused by being overweight early in life.

According to the new study, overweight children as young as three years of age displayed the kind of inflammatory response that has been linked to heart disease later in life.

As many as one third of obese kids (aged 3 to 5) were found to have higher C-reactive proteins. This is an indicator for inflammation and is shown to be able to predict heart disease and is therefore telling.

This fact reaffirms the belief that childhood obesity has very far reaching consequences; that has to be tackled while children are still young rather than waiting until adolescence or adulthood.

Besides what happens in childhood forms the basis for all subsequent activity: an obese child is likely to grown into an obese and unhealthy adult. Habits of exercise and healthy eating that form in early life of a child, including a propensity for high sugar and high fat foods, are something that follows in to adulthood.

Source: wsj