Unhealthy kids get to heart of the problem

HEART problems later in life could be set in childhood, with overweight and obese kids more likely to be at risk.

A new study is looking at the impacts childhood obesity and factors such as diet, exercise and smoking while pregnant, have on developing cardiovascular disease. The study, by researchers at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, will look at “vascular ageing” – or the pace at which the heart ages – and determine if and how its onset is being caused early in life.

The aim is to establish a “healthy” rate of ageing, and use technology to develop a benchmark for identifying both good and bad heart health. Using data from 100,000 people, lead researcher and post doctoral fellow Dr Rachel Climie hopes it will set the standard for early detection and intervention.

“We know that about 25 per cent of Australian children are overweight or obese,” Dr Climie said.

“We also know that children who have elevated blood pressure at age 10, they’re more likely to have high blood pressure as adults.

“Our blood vessels stiffen as we age … but some people who display early or premature ageing may have unhealthy or sedentary lifestyles, they might smoke, have high blood pressure – and sometimes it’s genetics. And we can expect this to carry into adulthood.”

Heart disease, heart attack and stroke are the leading cause of death in Australia, with one person dying every 12 minutes.

“Being overweight in childhood can have detrimental effects on the heart if the weight is not normalised by age 13,” she said. “We try to intervene later in life … but if we can understand what their risk is early in life we can intervene earlier.”