Reversing the Adverse Cardiovascular Effects of Childhood Obesity Later in Life

Childhood obesity raises risk for obesity and cardiovascular disease during adulthood. To examine whether cardiovascular risks persist in obese children who are no longer obese as adults, researchers combined data from four longitudinal cohort studies (2 U.S., 1 Australian, and 1 Finnish) in which cardiovascular risk was tracked from childhood into adulthood in 6328 participants. Mean follow-up was 23 years, and adiposity status was based on body-mass index (BMI) measurements taken during childhood and adulthood.

Obese adults — regardless of childhood adiposity status — had significantly higher risk for hypertension, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes mellitus than did participants who had never been obese as children or adults. However, norm…