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The Impact of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity on Cardiovascular Risk in Adulthood: a Systematic Review

  • Macrovascular Complications in Diabetes (VR Aroda and A Getaneh, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Adult obesity and cardiovascular diseases are closely linked. Yet, the relationship of childhood and adolescent obesities with cardiovascular diseases in adulthood requires additional evidence. The goal of the review is to inspect the relationship between childhood- and adolescent-increased body mass index (BMI) and cardiovascular risk factors, fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular diseases in adulthood.

Recent Findings

Cardiovascular diseases in adulthood are linked by most of the studies to childhood and adolescent obesities.

Summary

Studies showed that childhood and adolescent obesities increased the incidence of cardiovascular disease risk factors and were linked to higher risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in adulthood. Childhood and adolescent obesities were also associated, likely with a causal relationship, with an increased likelihood for various cardiovascular morbidities including ischemic heart disease, stroke, but also non-ischemic heart disease-related cardiac pathologies.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Orit Pinhas-Hamiel for her comments on a later version of this manuscript. This review is dedicated to prof. Jeremy D. Kark, one of the leading epidemiologists in Israel, an outstanding scientist, and mentor, who has dedicated the last five decades to study key issues in adolescent health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps, Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel

    Adir Sommer & Gilad Twig

  2. The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Gilad Twig

  3. The Dr. Pinchas Bornstein Talpiot Medical Leadership Program, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel

    Gilad Twig

  4. Department of Military Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

    Gilad Twig

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  1. Adir Sommer
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Correspondence to Gilad Twig.

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Adir Sommer and Gilad Twig declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Macrovascular Complications in Diabetes

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Sommer, A., Twig, G. The Impact of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity on Cardiovascular Risk in Adulthood: a Systematic Review. Curr Diab Rep 18, 91 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-018-1062-9

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