Beating Heart Disease Before It Starts

Posted: Nov. 1, 2005

Heart disease — the nation’s top killer — must be stopped in our kitchens and cafeterias if we are ever going to regain control, say experts with the American College of Cardiology (ACC). The ACC is a supporter of World Heart Day, which brings public awareness to the debilitating combination of overeating, inactivity and exposure to smoking in the home.

“Unhealthy diet and physical inactivity have doubled the number of overweight and obese children and adolescents in the past two decades,” said Michael J. Wolk, M.D., F.A.C.C., president of the American College of Cardiology.

“As a result, we are seeing an increased risk of illness from heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and stroke,” he added. “This strain is showing up today in pediatricians’ offices, and will surely overrun cardiologists’ offices in years to come. Projections show an exponential growth in adult cardiovascular patients in the coming years.”

Reducing future risk
Overweight children are three to five times more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke before age 65 than children with a normal weight. But arterial damage can be reversed through diet and regular exercise.

The researchers studied 54 boys and 28 girls who were an average 9.9 years of age. They measured the children's body mass index (BMI) and 28 were found to be overweight and 54 obese.

Although the children did not have a family history of early heart disease, they already showed signs of early atherosclerosis. Ultrasound testing found that the children's arteries were less reactive and that they had thickening of the carotid artery wall, both of which are signs of early atherosclerosis.

To assess whether these risk factors could be improved, the researchers divided the children into two groups – diet-only or diet-plus-exercise.

After six weeks, overweight and obese children in both groups had significantly reduced their waist-hip ratio, lowered their total cholesterol and also showed better arterial response. Diet and exercise were associated with a significantly greater improvement than diet alone.

The researchers commented that adopting a healthy lifestyle in childhood is the most cost-effective and practical way to prevent heart disease in adults.

Source: American College of Cardiology

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