Half the nation’s overweight teens have unhealthy blood pressure, cholesterol or blood sugar levels that put them at risk for future heart attacks and other cardiac problems, new federal research says.
And an even larger proportion of obese adolescents have such a risk, according to the alarming new numbers.
“What this is saying, unfortunately, is that we’re losing the battle early with many kids,” said Dr. Stephen Daniels, a University of Colorado School of Medicine expert who was not involved in the study.
People can keep their risk of heart disease very low if they reach age 45 or 50 at normal weight and with normal blood pressure, normal cholesterol and no diabetes. So these results are not good, he said.
The study was released Monday in the journal Pediatrics.
Not much on detail, like “by when.” All the AP article did was squawk about teen obesity, heart problems, diabetes and “pre-diabetes.I can safely say that a high percentage of people in my age group (over 65) are at significant risk of some dread or fatal disease in the next 5 years. Also sounds like some shirking of parental responsibility.