Childhood obesity linked to increased risk of adult cardiovascular and metabolic disorders

Authors Megan Moriarty-Kelsey, MD and Stephen Daniels, MD, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, caution that the rising prevalence of obesity in children will lead to higher obesity rates in the adult population, resulting in a greater health burden caused by obesity-related metabolic and cardiovascular complications. In fact, obese children may already exhibit early signs of disorders such as hypertension, elevated cholesterol levels, and insulin resistance.

In the article entitled "Childhood Obesity is the Fuel That Fires Adult Metabolic Abnormalities and Cardiovascular Disease," the authors emphasize the importance of prevention and early intervention for childhood obesity. This not only minimizes risk of future disease, but also prevents the occurrence of disorders once thought of as conditions of adulthood that have become increasingly common in children, such as type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease.