Open AccessObesity Is Significantly Associated With Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in 2‐ to 9‐Year‐Olds
Author(s) -
Messiah Sarah E.,
Vidot Denise C.,
Gurnurkar Shilpa,
Alhezayen Reem,
Natale Ruby A.,
Arheart Kristopher L.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the journal of clinical hypertension
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1751-7176
pISSN - 1524-6175
DOI - 10.1111/jch.12427
Subject(s) - medicine , overweight , prehypertension , blood pressure , obesity , national health and nutrition examination survey , population , disease , metabolic syndrome , risk factor , pediatrics , environmental health
The objective of this analysis was to estimate the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors in ethnically diverse young children. A retrospective medical chart review identified overweight/obese 2‐ to 9‐year‐old children (N=147) from a local pediatric clinic who were matched (for age, sex, and ethnicity) with normal weight patients from the 2005–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (N=294). Comparisons of mean systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, total, and high‐density lipoprotein ( HDL ) cholesterol were conducted. Results showed that compared with the population‐based normal‐weight sample, the local overweight/obese sample was significantly more likely to have diastolic prehypertension (15% vs 75%, P <.0001), systolic prehypertension (10% vs 43%, P <.0001), and the lowest quintile of HDL cholesterol (19% vs 34%, P =.003). At this young age, excess weight is significantly associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors. These results suggest that overweight/obese children in this age group should be monitored closely to prevent potential chronic disease risk.