Overweight children are three to five times more likely than their slender peers to suffer a heart a...
Overweight children are three to five times more likely than their slender peers to suffer a heart attack or stroke before they reach the age of 65, according to the World Heart Foundation (WHF). It has warned that overweight children with unhealthy lifestyles have an increased chance of experiencing cardiovascular difficulties in later life.
Doctors identified a lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet as the main culprits for the increased risk, but also noted that these are just part of the generally unhealthy lifestyle led by obese children.
The WHF announcement follows research carried out by Dundee University that showed one in five Scottish teenagers are suffering from early signs of heart disease. One fifth of the 158 children aged 11 to 14 had blood vessel damage associated with cardiovascular disease.
"In the UK, more than one in five children are overweight by the time they are six years old," said Belinda Linden, head of medical information at the British Heart Foundation.
"If trends of increasing obesity and inactivity continue, problems like narrowing arteries can lead to cardiovascular disease occurring in even younger patients," she said.
Sania Nishtar, chairperson of the WHF's advisory board, suggested the key to tackling childhood obesity is to prevent children getting into bad habits.
"We must protect children from an environment that leads to heart disease by teaching life-long healthy eating habits and limiting exposure to unhealthy food. Children and adolescents who have balanced, nutritious diets and exercise regularly should grow into fit, healthy adults," she said.
The report also claimed smoking is having a direct impact on children's health. Globally, around 25% of students are smokers, while almost half of all children worldwide are exposed to second-hand smoke. The report adds that passive smoking increases the risk of a child later developing lung cancer and heart disease by 25%.
