Fat children at risk even if they slim down later

OVERWEIGHT children are at significantly greater risk of heart attack or stroke in middle age – even if they slim down as adults.

High blood pressure, cholesterol and smoking before the age of 19 also raise the risk, say Oxford University researchers.

The findings are the strongest evidence so far that childhood lifestyle has a big impact later.

The study, presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Paris yesterday, uses the health records of children aged three to 19 in the 1970s.

The 42,000 participants, from the US, Australia and Finland, have been tracked until the age of 50, in which time 290 have suffered heart attacks, strokes or cardiovascular disease.

The researchers found an extra 10 per cent in body mass index as a child was associated with an

‘Emphasis on healthy lifestyles’

additional 20 per cent risk of adult cardiovascular problems. Each additional 10 per cent of blood pressure in childhood increased adult cardiovascular risk by 40 per cent, and the same in childhood cholesterol raised cardiovascular risk 16 per cent.

Crucially, those who had these risk factors as children had about triple the odds of an attack as those with a healthy lifestyle throughout.

And those who were unhealthy as children and continued the poor habits in adulthood, had a five-fold risk compared to those healthy as children but developed a poor lifestyle as adults.

Author Professor Terence Dwyer said: ‘Programmes to prevent heart attacks and strokes should put more emphasis on healthy lifestyles in children.’