That chubby baby is cute. But an obese 3-year-old may already be in danger.
Their bodies are showing signs of inflammation that are similar to those seen in heart disease later in life, says new research published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. Specifically, nearly a third – 30 percent – of obese 3- to 5-year-olds had higher levels of C-reactive protein than children of the same age who were a healthy weight. In those kids, only 17% showed the higher levels.
"It's really important to be concerned about childhood obesity and to even be concerned when they are quite young," Asheley Skinner, a professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and the first author of the study, told the Wall Street Jornal. "We can't wait until they're adolescents or adults."
The rate of obesity in U.S. children is growing along with that of adults. Fourteen percent of 2-to-5-year-olds are now considered overweight, or at the 85th percentile or higher of weight for height in their age group.
The American Heart Association says that C-reactive protein, or CRP, can help
predict risk of heart disease, stroke and death. Earlier studies have shown that the protein is elevated in overweight and obese adults, but less has been known about CRP in children.
In the research, more than 16,000 children between the ages of 1 and 17 were studied for three markers that inflammation, including CRP. By ages 15 to 17, CRP was elevated in about 60% of obese teens, compared with 18% of teens of healthy weight. The increase was even more pronounced for very obese kids, with nearly 43% of young children and 83% of teens showing CRP elevation.
From BBC news:
CRP is found in the blood, and high levels are a sign of inflammation in the body.
Because the damage seen in heart disease is caused by inflammation in artery walls, CRP can be used as a general marker for the risk of heart disease. In adults, studies have linked high levels with a future risk of heart attacks.
The researchers also looked at two other markers of inflammation in obese children and found levels were higher in one from the age of 6 and the other from the age of 9.
Skinner said the findings were a surprise.
"We're seeing a relationship between weight status and elevated inflammatory markers much earlier than we expected."
Co-author Dr Eliana Perrin added: "In this study we were unable to tease apart whether the inflammation or the obesity came first, but one theory is that obesity leads to inflammation which then leads to heart and vessel disease later on.
"A lot more work needs to be done before we figure out the full implication of these findings.
"But this study tells us that very young, obese children already have more inflammation than children who are not obese, and that's very concerning."
IS MY CHILD OBESE?
Have you checked the BMI, or body mass index, of your child? You can do just that with this calculater for kids:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/bmi_charts.html
And if you find that your child is overweight or obese, here are some beginning ways to make a difference, from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry:
• start a weight-management program
• change eating habits (eat slowly, develop a routine)
• plan meals and make better food selections (eat less fatty foods, avoid junk and fast foods)
• control portions and consume less calories
• increase physical activity (especially walking) and have a more active lifestyle
• know what your child eats at school
• eat meals as a family instead of while watching television or at the computer
• do not use food as a reward
• limit snacking
• attend a support group (e.g., Overeaters Anonymous)
• improve your child’s self esteem by also emphasizing her or his strengths and positive qualities, rather than only focusing on the weight problem.
The Wall Street Journal story:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704089904575093703549457286.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines
The BBC story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8538426.stm
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry:
http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/obesity_in_children_and_teens