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. 2009 Mar;14(3):177-82.
doi: 10.1093/pch/14.3.177.

Childhood obesity and cardiovascular disease

Affiliations

Childhood obesity and cardiovascular disease

Tracey Bridger. Paediatr Child Health. 2009 Mar.

Abstract

Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Many of these children have risk factors for later disease, including cardiovascular disease. For optimal cardiovascular health, health care professionals must be able to identify children and youth at risk and provide appropriate support as needed. The present article reviews the current medical literature on obesity and cardiovascular disease risk factors in the paediatric population, the long-term cardiovascular consequences of childhood obesity and the importance of early life. Recommendations promoting optimal cardiovascular health in all children and youth are discussed.

L’obésité juvénile a atteint des proportions épidémiques. Bon nombre de ces enfants ont des facteurs de risque de maladies qui se manifesteront plus tard, y compris des maladies cardiovasculaires. Pour assurer une santé cardiovasculaire optimale, les professionnels de la santé doivent être en mesure de repérer les enfants et les jeunes vulnérables et de leur fournir le soutien pertinent, au besoin. Le présent article passe en revue les publications médicales à jour sur l’obésité et les facteurs de risque de maladies cardiovasculaires au sein de la population pédiatrique, les conséquences cardiovasculaires à long terme de l’obésité juvénile et l’importance du début de vie. On expose enfin des recommandations visant à favoriser une santé cardiovasculaire optimale chez tous les enfants et les adolescents.

Keywords: Blood pressure; Cardiovascular disease; Childhood obesity; Diabetes; Fetal origins hypothesis; Hyperlipidemia.

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