Childhood obesity is becoming an increasing concern for health care professionals and for parents all around the globe. And a study recently published online in the Archives of Disease in Childhood has found that two out of every three severely obese kids have at one or more risk factors for cardiovascular disease, MedicalNewsToday.com reports.
The study’s findings were based on information collected from 2005 and 2007. Dutch doctors were asked to provide data on a total of about 500 patients who were between the ages of 2 and 18, 307 of whom were classified as severely obese (which means that a two-year-old would have a BMI of over 20.5, a 12-year-old would have a BMI of over 31, and an 18-year-old would have a BMI of over 35). The doctors were asked about risk factors for heart disease such as lipids, fasting blood glucose levels, and high blood pressure.
The findings were disturbing: 67 percent of the 307 severely obese kids had at least one factor for cardiovascular disease—55 percent had high blood pressure, 54 percent had high levels of low-density “bad” cholesterol, 14 percent had high fasting blood sugar, and a little less than 1 percent had already developed type 2 diabetes.
The researchers’ findings underscore how important it is to ensure that you encourage your kids to eat right and get enough exercise. And if your child is considered obese, you should consult your family doctor about treatment.
(Screencap from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)
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