Children on Track for a Heart Attack

From WSJ.com
By RON WINSLOW
Updated May 6, 2013, 2:48 p.m. ET


"The good news is that doctors believe health can be restored to young people's arteries with regular physical activity and a healthy diet. This includes cutting back on sugary beverages and foods high in carbohydrates such as potatoes, white rice and pasta."


A New Measure Finds Hardening of the Arteries Can Start Young; Cholesterol Tests for 9-Year-Olds
Do you know how old your kids' arteries are?

It's a potentially important question as scientists increasingly uncover links between healthy habits in childhood and risk for heart disease later in life. And there are growing concerns about the cardiovascular health of millions of children in the U.S. who are considered obese or overweight.

A new study suggests there is a simple way to assess a child's arterial health with a calculation based on an often-overlooked component of cholesterol: triglycerides.

The calculation is the ratio of triglycerides to HDL, or good cholesterol. It can be easily determined from a standard cholesterol blood test. In the study, based on nearly 900 children and young adults, researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center found that the higher the ratio, the greater the likelihood a child would have stiff and damaged arteries.

Read more.