Childhood obesity linked to significant vascular damage, long-term risks
Childhood obesity is associated with a significant risk of vascular damage, according to a new study of children between the ages of six and 11 years old. Researchers hope these findings make it clear just how important it is to prevent childhood obesity and encourage young children—with help from their families—to make healthy eating choices.
The new analysis, published in the International Journal of Obesity, focused on 113 children who were categorized as either having a healthy weight or being overweight/obese. Each child was assessed using peripheral arterial tonometry. Overall, overweight and obese children performed worse on the reactive hyperemia index, a measurement of endothelial function. These children also had higher TNF-alpha gene expression and elevated levels of endothelial microparticles, which are both signs of vascular inflammation. Such inflammation has a long-term impact on the body, causing immune cells to age prematurely and doing permanent damage.
“The results of the study reinforce the seriousness of childhood obesity, showing that it needs to be reversed early on. We also warn about the need for public policies to reduce obesity in childhood, especially in socioeconomically vulnerable populations,” senior author Maria do Carmo Pinho Franco, a professor at the Federal University of São Paulo in Brazil, said in a statement.
Franco added that these findings highlight the fact that cardiovascular disease can begin early on in children, well before any other traditional risk factors appear.
“These children don’t smoke, drink, or have decades of bad habits considered risk factors for cardiovascular disease,” she said. “They’re also a prepubescent population, meaning they aren’t influenced by sex hormones. The only factor present is excess weight. Therefore, the analysis showed that obesity alone is sufficient to initiate a chronic low-grade inflammatory process with a direct impact on vascular health.”
Click here to read the full study in the International Journal of Obesity.
Michael has more than 19 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.