PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Obese children have signs of heart disease typically seen in middle-aged adults

2010-10-25
(Press-News.org) Montreal – The blood vessels of obese children have stiffness normally seen in much older adults with cardiovascular disease, Dr. Kevin Harris today told the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2010, co-hosted by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The clock is ticking and the shape of the 13 year-old-heart is changing – for the worse.

"We were surprised to find that these obese children already have stiff blood vessels," says Dr. Harris from B.C. Children's Hospital. "Aortic stiffness is an early indicator of cardiovascular disease in obese children." He says it is as if the aging process has been accelerated in their aorta.

The aorta is the largest artery in the human body. It carries and distributes oxygen-rich blood to all the other arteries and normally acts as a buffer to the pumping action of the heart. Increased stiffness of the aorta is typically associated with aging and is a strong predictor of future cardiac events and mortality in adults.

"The normal aorta has elastic qualities that buffer the flow of blood. When that elasticity is lost, aortic stiffness results – a sign of developing cardiovascular disease," Dr. Harris told the meeting. "Aortic stiffness is associated with cardiovascular events and early death."

The mean age of the children in Dr. Harris's study was 13 years.

Dr. Harris and colleagues evaluated 63 obese children and compared them with 55 normal weight controls. Blood pressure was taken, lipids evaluated, and body mass index measured. Children then underwent echocardiography, or ultrasound, of the heart and blood vessels. This test was used to determine the Pulse Wave Velocity in the aorta. This is a measure of how fast blood flows and was one of the measures used to assess aortic stiffness.

"The systolic blood pressure was only marginally higher in these obese children," says Dr. Harris. Blood lipid levels – total, HDL and LDL cholesterol – were normal. However, ultrasound of the heart showed that the Pulse Wave Velocity and other measures of arterial health were already abnormal in the obese children.

He says these findings are highly significant because the elastic qualities of their aorta were impaired even though other measures of heart health such as blood lipid levels and blood pressure were not dramatically different.

To see actual changes to the performance of the heart and blood vessels in obese children is extremely alarming, says Heart and Stroke Foundation spokesperson Dr. Beth Abramson.

"We know there is an association between unhealthy lifestyles and heart disease. Our kids are at risk," she says. "Poor nutrition and inactivity are threatening their health and well-being. We must rethink the lifestyle standards we have accepted as a society to protect the future health of our kids."

The rate of childhood obesity has tripled over the last 25 years and it continues to increase, warns Dr. Abramson. Over 25 per cent of Canadian children between the ages of two and 17 years are overweight or obese, with the percent increasing with age from 21 per cent among those two to five years to 29 per cent among those aged 12 to 17.

She notes that the health risks to overweight and obese children include heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Harris says the next step should be to determine whether these changes are reversible with treatment such as improved diet and exercise. This test may eventually be helpful in monitoring the progression of cardiovascular disease in children and young adults. ###

Statements and conclusions of study authors are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect Foundation or CCS policy or position. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society make no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation (heartandstroke.ca), a volunteer-based health charity, leads in eliminating heart disease and stroke and reducing their impact through the advancement of research and its application, the promotion of healthy living, and advocacy.

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Many women missing out on the benefits of cardiac rehab

2010-10-25
"These two high-risk but universally undertreated groups are less likely attend cardiac rehab than their younger, male counterparts even when they are referred," says Dr. Martin, PhD(c) and surgical trainee at University Calgary/Libin Cardiovascular Institute, speaking on behalf of her co-authors at the Cardiac Wellness institute of Calgary and APPROACH. "And when women do attend cardiac rehab, they tend to present later and at a more serious stage of the disease." The study of 6,000 people living with cardiovascular disease found that participation in cardiac rehab was ...

New way of expanding cancer screening for minority women

2010-10-25
FOR EMBARGOED RELEASE: October 25, 2010 12:01AM ET New Way of Expanding Cancer Screening for Minority Women New York, October 25, 2010 — Minority patients have a significantly decreased survival from colon cancer compared to white patients, most often as a result of a late diagnosis. To help address this problem, a team of healthcare professionals at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center has identified an efficient way to increase minority access to lifesaving colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) in communities where multiple barriers ...

Colorectal cancer screening can be expanded by offering it during mammography visits

2010-10-25
Offering colorectal cancer screening to poor minority women during mammography visits can effectively expand screening in this otherwise underserved population, although lack of medical insurance remains a significant barrier. That is the conclusion of a new study published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The results highlight the need to find alternative funding sources for colorectal cancer screening from the government or private institutions. Colorectal cancer screening is inadequate in minority communities in the United ...

Study suggests sensitivity to bodily symptoms of anxiety may make a difference in treatment

2010-10-25
Montreal − Levels of anxiety sensitivity may be important in choosing medical treatment for patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation (AF), Montreal Heart Institute researchers today told the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2010, co-hosted by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Heart and Stroke Foundation researcher and lead author Nancy Frasure-Smith, PhD explained that anxiety sensitivity is the degree to which a person is frightened by bodily sensations and symptoms, particularly those associated with anxiety. ...

Contraband cigarettes main source of supply for Ontario youth

2010-10-25
For Immediate Release – October 25, 2010 – (Toronto) –A new study from The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) found that contraband tobacco accounts for 43% of all cigarettes consumed by Ontario high school daily smokers in grades 9 to 12. The study, published in the current edition of Tobacco Control, looked at the smoking habits of Ontario students and found that of high school daily smokers, 50% smoked at least one contraband cigarette per day over the last year. Contraband cigarettes are manufactured on and smuggled from US and Canadian native reserves ...

PERI Software To Participate and Display Smart Grid Technology at Annual NMSDC Conference in Miami

2010-10-25
PERI Software, based in Newark, NJ plans to show its latest smart grid technology software and hardware products at the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) Conference. The four-day Conference and Business Opportunity Fair — the nation's benchmark forum on minority supplier development - takes place at the Miami Beach Convention Center beginning Sunday, October 24th and runs through Wed., Oct. 27, 2010. "As the nation's leading Asian-owned global business solutions company, we're delighted to display our smart grid technology and electric, gas and ...

The Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Oxford Strategic Consulting announce Agenda for National Talent Summit to take place on November 7-8th in Doha, Qatar hosted by the Qatar Finance and Business Academy

2010-10-25
A full copy of the Agenda is available at: http://www.oxfordstrategicconsulting.com/qatar2010 Day One of the Summit will explore in depth the latest strategic approaches to Nationalization, including Qatarization, and recommend approaches to developing the crucial Differentiating Capabilities (DiSCs) and talents needed to meet key strategic objectives and achieve competitive advantage in the region. National Talent Summit partners SRg, specialists in engineering innovation, will present Blue Ocean Strategy, a range of advanced approaches to developing forward thinking ...

New Homes Builder Houston Area Offers Woodhead Home

2010-10-25
Renowned new Homes Builder Houston Whitestone Builders has a new listing of a beautiful new house being built at 3702 Woodhead. It is described by David Gordon, one of the principals, as a "traditional brick home with meticulously laid hardwood floors and beautifully detailed trim reflective of classic periodical styles." The main features of the home include an elegant staircase, detailed custom hand-crafted cabinetry and alley accessible garages for privacy and security that won't detract from the classic architectural style. Whitestone Builders specializes in modern, ...

Hair Benders Academy, School of Hair Offers Fall Savings

2010-10-25
Florida residents and visitors can enjoy beauty on the cheap with special fall savings now through Oct. 31 at Hair Benders Academy, School of Hair, 851 E. State Road, 434, Suite 164 in Longwood, Florida. Specials include: $5 haircuts, $8 for a plain pedicure, $10 for nail tips with overlays, 20% off all Peter Hantz liters and 20% of all Madrid's hair care products. "We try to provide the greatest value for both our students and our clients," said Jessica Wolman, one of the owners of the schools. "This is an excellent opportunity to celebrate the season with affordable ...

Caldwell Dental Care to Give "Dentistry from the Heart" on November 20, 2010

2010-10-25
Cypress dentist's to give "Dentistry from the Heart" on November 20, 2010. As a way of thanking the Cypress community for their support over the past 27 years, Dr's Ty and Susan Caldwell have decided to open their practice for a day of free dentistry. On a first come, first served basis, the dental team will care for as many patients as they can from 7:00 AM until 5:00 PM. The practice anticipates seeing over a hundred patients and has enlisted the help of ten additional dentists to help make the day a great success. They will also have six dental hygienists, and a dozen ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

The refrigerator as a harbinger of a better life

Windfall profits from oil and gas could cover climate payments

Heartier Heinz? How scientists are learning to help tomatoes beat the heat

Breaking carbon–hydrogen bonds to make complex molecules

Sometimes you're the windshield: Utah State University researcher says vehicles cause significant bee deaths

AMS Science Preview: Turbulence & thunderstorms, heat stress, future derechos

Study of mountaineering mice sheds light on evolutionary adaptation

Geologists rewrite textbooks with new insights from the bottom of the Grand Canyon

MSU researcher develops promising new genetic breast cancer model

McCombs announces 2024 Hall of Fame inductees and rising stars

Stalling a disease that could annihilate banana production is a high-return investment in Colombia

Measurements from ‘lost’ Seaglider offer new insights into Antarctic ice melting

Grant to support new research to address alcohol-related partner violence among sexual minorities

Biodiversity change amidst disappearing human traditions

New approaches to synthesize compounds for pharmaceutical research

Cohesion through resilient democratic communities

UC Santa Cruz chemists discover new process to make biodiesel production easier, less energy intensive

MD Anderson launches Institute for Cell Therapy Discovery & Innovation to deliver transformational new therapies

New quantum encoding methods slash circuit complexity in machine learning

New research promises an unprecedented look at how psychosocial stress affects military service members’ heart health

Faster measurement of response to antibiotic treatment in sepsis patients using Dimeric HNL

Cleveland Clinic announces updated findings in preventive breast cancer vaccine study

Intergenerational effects of adversity on mind-body health: Pathways through the gut-brain axis

Watch this elephant turn a hose into a sophisticated showering tool

Chimpanzees perform better on challenging computer tasks when they have an audience

New medical AI tool identifies more cases of long COVID from patient health records

Heat waves and adverse health events among dually eligible individuals 65 years and older

Catastrophic health expenditures for in-state and out-of-state abortion care

State divorce laws, reproductive care policies, and pregnancy-associated homicide rates

Emerging roles of high-mobility group box-1 in liver disease

[Press-News.org] Obese children have signs of heart disease typically seen in middle-aged adults