Overweight Kids At Risk For Heart Disease

Early Diet Changes Reduce Risks

Kids who are "junk food junkies" may be putting their future health at risk.

Overweight and sedentary children with bad eating habits are well on their way to becoming adults with significant risk for heart disease.

This potential epidemic has led heart-health professionals to hold a half-day session on kids and heart disease risk during the American Heart Association's annual Scientific Sessions in Anaheim, Calif., Nov. 11-14.

Even though studies have found that elevated cholesterol levels in children are directly associated with arterial plaque buildup -- atherosclerosis -- at a young age, an alarming 78 percent of parents are not aware that the signs of heart disease actually begin developing during childhood, according a 2001 survey by Opinion Research Corporation.

A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association by Dr. Margo Denke, found that simple dietary modifications really make a difference in lowering cholesterol levels in children.

Instilling heart-healthy dietary habits in children over the age of 2 is one of the most important lifestyle changes that can be made to reduce heart disease risk, according to the AHA.

Health professionals want consumers to focus on a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in complex carbohydrates, all of which will help lower cholesterol levels.

However, the Opinion Research survey also found that 46 percent of all parents admit their child either eats too much junk food or eats healthfully only part of the time.

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