Obesity Is Significantly Associated With Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in 2‐ to 9‐Year‐Olds

Abstract

The objective of this analysis was to estimate the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors in ethnically diverse young children. A retrospective medical chart review identified overweight/obese 2- to 9-year-old children (N=147) from a local pediatric clinic who were matched (for age, sex, and ethnicity) with normal weight patients from the 2005-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (N=294). Comparisons of mean systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, total, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were conducted. Results showed that compared with the population-based normal-weight sample, the local overweight/obese sample was significantly more likely to have diastolic prehypertension (15% vs. 75%, P<.0001), systolic prehypertension (10% vs. 43%, P<.0001), and the lowest quintile of HDL cholesterol (19% vs. 34%, P=.003). At this young age, excess weight is significantly associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors. These results suggest that overweight/obese children in this age group should be monitored closely to prevent potential chronic disease risk.