Adiposity and Cardiovascular Risk in Children and Adolescents: Implications of the Amount of Fat Carried and Where.

Abstract

Obesity has reached the pandemic level. It has dramatically increased over recent decades and is now one of the most important public health problems facing both urban and rural areas. Among youths, the worldwide prevalence of overweight and obesity has risen by 47.1%since 1980.2 Pediatric obesity is associated with comorbidities affecting the cardiovascular (CV), pulmonary, endocrine, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal systems,3 and it seems to be the predominant cause of conditions such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, inflammation, and steatohepatitis.3 The persistence of severe obesity from childhood to adulthood has a social and psychological toll on the individuals affected. It also increases medical costs, limits productivity, and reduces life expectancy, and promotes such diseases as myocardial infarction, kidney failure, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.