The battle against childhood obesity is taking on a new sense of urgency, as scientists report potential signs of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes in kids age seven and younger, MSNBC.com reports today.
The
researchers found that obese children as young as 3 years old had
elevated levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation that in
adults is considered an early warning sign for possible future heart
disease. In fact, among the heaviest children ages 3 to 5, more than 40
percent had elevated CRP compared to only 17 percent of healthy-weight
children. -- “Halting seeds of chronic illness in tots: Heart disease, diabetes take root early, researchers say.” MSNBC.com, 4/5/10.
Now, the story doesn’t suggest moms and dads should freak out, but they do need to get or stay involved in plans to keep their children active.
“I think parents should be not so much worried as motivated,” says Dr. Eliana Perrin (in the MSNBC.com story),
co-author of a new study published in April in Pediatrics and an
assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill. “Catching something early gives us as parents and
pediatricians an opportunity to prevent problems down the road.
News and Notes: