Experts recommended reducing obesity-related cardiovascular risks from childhood
European cardiologists and endocrinologists have developed a scientific statement on preventing obesity in children and the risk factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease in later life. The document provides detailed recommendations on physical activity and nutrition. Special attention is paid to reducing the stigma of overweight and obesity in children.The European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC) together with the European Childhood Obesity Group (ECOG) have released a joint scientific statement on lifestyle adjustments in children and adolescents to prevent the development of obesity and reduce cardiovascular risks. The document was published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
Experts noted that there is a rapid increase in obesity in children and a decrease in physical activity worldwide, which leads to increased blood pressure, dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia in this group. The combination of these factors causes damage to the arteries and heart.
Overweight children are five times more likely to experience obesity in later life than their healthy peers. In addition, children with an elevated body mass index (BMI) are 40% more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease in adulthood than their peers with a normal BMI. And adolescents with a combination of risk factors (hypodynamia, smoking, high BMI, arterial hypertension and hyperlipidemia) are 2-9 times more likely to experience heart attack and stroke later in life.
Scientists emphasized that prevention of coronary disease in adults should be addressed from childhood, because it is children who develop food habits and food preferences. The lifestyle adopted in the family plays an important role in this.
Special attention should be paid to physical activity. School-age children need moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise for at least one hour daily. In addition, muscle-strengthening exercises should be performed at least three times a week. Screen time should be limited.
The document details the nutrition needed to prevent obesity. Snacking between meals should be avoided. Children need a full breakfast and three meals a day. No more than two additional meals are possible. Portion sizes should be limited and high-calorie, low-nutrient foods such as fruit juices and fast food should be avoided. More unprocessed fruits, vegetables and cereals rich in fiber should be eaten, and sugar and fat intake should be reduced.
The paper stresses the need to avoid stigmatizing overweight and obesity in children, as it can lead to the development of eating disorders and additional inactivity.
Experts note that taking action to prevent the development of cardiovascular disease should be done as early as possible.