Endothelial dysfunction and arterial abnormalities in childhood obesity

• Published in: International Journal of Obesity 2006-07, Vol.30 (7), p.1041-1049
• Main Authors: Skilton, M.R, Celermajer, D.S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: arteries; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Atherosclerosis - etiology; Atherosclerosis - physiopathology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Child; children; Coronary vessels; diet; Diet, Reducing; Endothelium; Endothelium, Vascular - physiopathology; Epidemiology; Exercise; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; Heart attacks; Humans; Internal Medicine; literature reviews; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Myocardial infarction; Nitric oxide; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Obesity - physiopathology; Obesity - therapy; Overweight; pathophysiology; pediatric-review; physical activity; Public Health; Risk Factors; Smooth muscle; Ultrasonic imaging; vascular diseases; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
• ISSN: 0307-0565; 1476-5497
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0803397

Rates of overweight and obesity in both adults and children have risen sharply during the past 20 years. The reasons for this escalation in obesity are not fully determined, however, sedentary lifestyle and dietary changes in combination with genetic predisposition are probably involved. Clinical cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction and stroke, are usually only manifest in the fifth decade of life or beyond. However, the earliest physical signs of atherosclerosis, the underlying disease process that leads to these events, may be present from early childhood. There are now a variety of noninvasive tests used to assess both the structural and functional properties of the vasculature and in vivo changes suggestive of 'early atherosclerosis' have now been characterised. These have allowed not only an increased understanding of the atherosclerotic changes to the vasculature that accompany overweight and obesity in children, but have also allowed serial study of the effects of diet and exercise interventions on early atherosclerosis changes, in childhood obesity.