Overweight kids are at heart disease risk

Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and fat mass in childhood are equally associated with the risk of heart disease in adolescence, according to new research published in the British Medical Journal.

BMI is one way of estimating levels of fat in the body, although there has been some debate about whether different measures of fat levels might be more accurate in children. The researchers investigated this by measuring BMI, waist circumference and fat mass in over 5,000 children aged nine to 10. They repeated the measurements when the children were aged 11 to 12, and again when aged 15 to 16. At the third visit the researchers also measured the children's cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

High blood pressure, cholesterol and high blood sugar are all risk factors for heart disease. The researchers compared how strongly the different ways of measuring fat in childhood related to having these risk factors at age 15 to 16.

The researchers found that measurements of BMI, waist circumference and fat mass are equally good at predicting whether a child will have risk factors for heart disease at age 15 to 16. They also found that children who were overweight at age 9 to 10 and then lost the excess weight reduced their likelihood of developing risk factors for heart disease, particularly girls. This study backs up the fact that tackling obesity in children early will reduce their risk of developing heart problems later in life.

Unhealthy diets combined with a lack of exercise are the main causes of childhood obesity. High-calorie foods, such as chocolates, sweets and fast food, are cheap and readily available to children. Alongside this, physical activity and exercise are no longer a part of many children's days - some children never walk or cycle to school or play sport. Instead, many of them spend hours in front of a television or computer.

"This is a fairly short study, but does suggest that the risk factors for cardiovascular disease can be laid down in childhood."

Dr Peter Mace, Assistant Medical Director at Bupa

Key facts

* BMI is a measurement used to work out if you're a healthy weight for your height, and gives an indication of how much body fat you have.

* For adults, BMI is calculated by dividing your weight by your height and then dividing that answer by your height again.

* Because children are growing, their height, weight and body fat can change a lot, and there is also a difference in BMI between boys and girls. Therefore, their BMI is compared with that of other children of the same age and sex using special charts called centile charts.

* At least 20 million children under the age of five were overweight globally in 2005.

* Most obese adolescents are likely to remain obese as young adults.

* The number of overweight and obese children in the UK has risen steadily over the past 30 years. In 2006, around one in six children aged between two and 15 were obese.

source: bupa.co.uk