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Future Health Risks for Obese Children May Be Greater Than Previously Thought
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120925183624.htmScienceDaily (Sep. 25, 2012) — Being obese as a child or adolescent may have a larger effect on future health than previously thought, suggests a study published on bmj.com today.
It comes as New York City passes a ban on large-size sugary drinks to help tackle obesity and related health problems in the US. MPs are now calling on the government to introduce similar legislation in the UK.
Researchers at the University of Oxford show that obese children and adolescents have several risk factors for heart disease including raised blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and a thickening of the heart muscle, compared with normal weight children.
They warn that, if these risk factors are allowed to progress into adulthood, obese children could already be at a 30-40% higher risk of future stroke and heart disease than their normal weight counterparts.
