Obese Children Health Problems

Obese children suffer health problems later in life, but now it looks like they might also have some health issues right now.

It turns out the arteries of obese children look as bad as those of adults with heart disease. I often say that what happens in childhood follows you into adulthood and that goes for weight issues as well. Children that are overweight or obese usually end up battling weight all their lives. So, keeping kids slim and trim is one key to giving them a healthy life, even decades later.

But now we know that obese children can have their own medical issues right now. Researchers have found that the arteries of obese children have the same amount of stiffness as adults suffering from heart disease. This is important to their health because most young arteries are stretchy. Once they become stiff the body has to deal with higher blood pressure and the beginnings of heart disease. And starting off this way in childhood probably means earlier heart problems as an adult.

So, the best step you can take is to help give your kids a healthy start by focusing on maintaining a healthy weight now.