Obese kids young as age 8 show signs of heart disease

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/aha-oky103015.php

Public Release: 10-Nov-2015
Obese kids young as age 8 show signs of heart disease
American Heart Association Meeting Report - Abstract 15439 (Hall A2 - Poster T 2022)
American Heart Association

Imaging tests of obese children -- some as young as 8 years old -- showed signs of significant heart disease and heart muscle abnormalities, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015.

Comparing 20 obese kids with 20 normal-weight kids, researchers found that obesity was linked to 27 percent more muscle mass in the left ventricle of their hearts and 12 percent thicker heart muscles - both signs of heart disease.

Forty percent of the obese children were considered "high-risk" because of problems with the thickened muscle in the heart which were associated with impaired pumping ability. None of the children in the study showed physical symptoms, but researchers caution that heart problems during childhood may lead to more complicated health conditions in adulthood as well as premature death from heart disease.

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