Young hearts Children show cardiac changes ‘by age of six’

Overweight children suffer potentially deadly changes to their hearts before they start school, a study found, leading to calls for action before they are three.

The study of almost 1,000 children, aged two to eight, detected changes among school starters that can lead to diabetes and heart and liver disease.

The European Centre for Obesity Management’s study confirmed the need to tackle childhood weight issues early, experts said.