“Obese Teens May Have Adult Diseases”
A new study found U.S. teens seeking weight-loss surgery have a startling number of health problems that used to be seen only in adults. Half the teens had at least four major illnesses linked with their excess weight. Three out of four had cholesterol problems; almost half had high blood pressure or joint pain; and many had diseased livers or kidneys. A 2011 study showed that nearly one-third of 9-month-olds are obese or overweight, as are 34 percent of 2-year-olds. The study showed that starting out heavy puts kids on a course to stay that way. Two recent studies, one in 2009 and one in 2010, confirmed that early obesity leads to later obesity and the health problems associated with being obese. Studies have shown that the blood vessels of obese children have stiffness normally seen in much older adults with heart disease.
