Unhealthy diet raises heart risk for obese teens
March 23rd, 2011 - 2:58 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Mar 23 (ANI): A new study has revealed that obese teens may feel healthy, but blood tests show they have inflammation, insulin resistance, and high homocysteine levels.
“The metabolic abnormalities suggest that the process of developing heart disease has already started in these children, making it critical for them to make definitive lifestyle and diet changes,” said Ashutosh Lal, senior author of the study and a pediatric hematologist at the Children’s Hospital and Research Center Oakland in California.
Researchers compared the diets and blood test results of 33 obese youths (ages 11 to 19) with 19 age-matched youths of normal weight.
Blood tests revealed that the obese teens had:
1) C-reactive protein levels almost ten times higher than controls, indicating more inflammation in the body. 2) Insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes, with greater amounts of insulin needed to keep blood sugar levels normal. 3) Homocysteine levels 62 percent higher than controls. High levels of the amino acid homocysteine are related to greater heart disease risk. 4) Total glutathione levels 27.9 percent lower than controls, with oxidized glutathione levels 125 percent higher, indicating oxidative stress. This in turn leads to more inflammation and an increase in blood vessel damage and stiffening.
“Looking at the numbers you would think these children might feel sick, but they did not,” Lal said. “They are apparently feeling well, but there is a lot going on beneath the surface.”
The obese children’s diets were lower in potassium, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin A, found in fortified dairy products and as well as in deeply colored fruits and vegetables.
The research was reported at the American Heart Association’s Nutrition. (ANI)
- Taking antioxidants during pregnancy 'prevents obesity in kids' - Mar 15, 2011
- Antioxidants in diet 'can improve insulin resistance in obese adults' - Jun 22, 2010
- Diabetes alert, a decade before symptoms appear - Mar 21, 2011
- Vegetables, grain cut stroke risk in women - Dec 04, 2011
- Exercise can undo effects of maternal obesity - Feb 10, 2012
- Human enzyme holds promise of weight loss - Nov 15, 2011
- Multiple health benefits of eating pistachios - May 21, 2010
- Weight loss increases Vitamin D in obese women - May 26, 2011
- High heart attack risks in vegans can be cut by omega-3s and B12 - Feb 03, 2011
- Vitamin E can fight fatty liver disease in kids - Apr 28, 2011
- High risk of heart disease in preadolescent kids with type 1diabetes - Feb 15, 2011
- Low vitamin C levels elevates heart failure risk - Nov 14, 2011
- Pollution 'can cause obesity and diabetes' - Dec 28, 2010
- Eggs could cut heart defects during prenatal development - Jul 16, 2010
- Antioxidants in pecans 'good for your heart' - Feb 25, 2011
Tags: american heart association, amino acid homocysteine, blood sugar levels, blood test results, blood vessel damage, c reactive protein, california researchers, colored fruits, diet changes, fruits and vegetables, glutathione levels, heart disease risk, heart risk, high homocysteine levels, insulin resistance, obese teens, oxidized glutathione, pediatric hematologist, protein levels, unhealthy diet