Heart Attack Risk Starts When You're a Baby

We've long associated adult cardiovascular disease with poor eating habits, smoking and lack of exercise. However, numerous research studies show that the precursors for heart disease begin in infancy and childhood.

One of the most well-known, long-range studies is the Bogalusa Heart Study initiated in Bogalusa, Louisiana in 1973. Since then the study has tracked the lifestyles of 16,000 children and adults. Study data have produced conclusive evidence that "risk factors for adult heart disease are established in infancy and perhaps even in the fetal period," writes Dr. John Barnard, president of the Children's Research Institute in Columbus, Ohio.

Among study findings:

• Early signs of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease can be evident in children as young as 5 to 8 years old.
• Children with a low birth weight are at greater risk for obesity, Type 2 diabetes and hypertension as adults.
• Rapid weight gain in infancy affects the body's metabolism often leading to adult cardiovascular disease.

Both physicians and parents have started to address potential cardiovascular risk factors in children. The American Heart Association and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation host a website with many resources for parents and children. (Click here to visit the site.) Heart health begins in infancy and continues throughout life.