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Heart Disease Starts in Childhood!
Heart Disease Starts in Childhood!
6 Oct 2020
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Many of us mistakenly believe that heart disease suddenly emerges out of nowhere in our 40s or 50s or 60s. The truth is that heart disease starts much earlier in our bodies! When? Nowadays, it may start in childhood! I was truly surprised to learn that from Dr Greger's articles and videos below.
What is Atherosclerosis? When does it start?

As shown in the Wikipedia pic below, atherosclerosis is the accumulation of plaque inside our arteries. Over time, our arteries become narrower. As plaque accumulates, it also hardens due to calcification. For a better understanding, please browse through What is Atherosclerosis?

Source: Atherosclerosis (Wikipedia)

When does atherosclerosis start? I was surprised to learn that the process of plaque buildup starts in early childhood for so many of us! Note the green column that says "from first decade", "from third decade", "from fourth decade". But why is it happening in childhood? For details, please see Dr Greger's videos below.

Heart Health in Children, Teens, 20's and 30's

Dr Greger: (2020) All Children Should Have Their Cholesterol Checked Between Ages 9 and 11 paints a sad picture:

Overview:

"Coronary artery disease does not magically appear. The disease begins during early childhood and progresses unrecognized for several decades to its often final and unexpected endpoint of chest pain, disability, or premature death."

Childhood:

"… fatty streaks, the first stage of atherosclerosis, were found in the arteries of nearly 100 percent of kids by age ten who were raised on the standard American diet. In recognition of this fact, the latest Academy of Pediatrics' recommendation is for all kids to get their cholesterol tested starting between the ages of 9 and 11." (See this APA publication for an overview and this APA publication for details).

Teenage Years:

"… the breathtaking statistic is that only about 1 in 2,000 U.S. adults met the seven American Heart Association criteria for a heart-healthy lifestyle. What about American teenagers? Of the 4,673 adolescents aged 12 to 19 who were studied, zero made the cut. Not one teen "exhibited ideal levels of all 7 cardiovascular health behaviors and health factors."

20s:

"… atherosclerosis begins in childhood as fatty streaks in the arteries, which are the precursors of the advanced lesions that ultimately kill us. By the time we're in our 20s, 20 percent of the inner surface of the artery coming off the heart is covered in fatty streaks"

30s:

"By their 30s, many young adults already have advanced coronary atherosclerosis, so, in reality, intervention during our 30s and beyond is actually secondary prevention, because advanced atherosclerosis is likely already present."

Below are videos by Dr Greger with further details:

(2021) Should All Children Have Their Cholesterol Checked?

(5 mins) Transcript. Dr Greger's summary: "The current generation of American kids may be one of the first generations to be less healthy and have shorter lifespans than their parents."

(2015) Heart Disease Starts in Childhood

(6 mins) Transcript. Dr Greger's summary: "By age 10, nearly all kids have fatty streaks in their arteries. This is the first sign of atherosclerosis, the leading cause of death in the United States. So the question for most of us is not whether we should eat healthy to prevent heart disease, but whether we want to reverse the heart disease we may already have."

(2015) How Many Meet the Simple Seven?

(4 mins) Transcript. Dr Greger's summary: "The American Heart Association came up with seven simple lifestyle goals to combat the leading killer of men and women: heart disease."

(2016) Heart Disease May Start in the Womb

(4 mins) Transcript. This video explains that atherosclerosis may start in early childhood, as early as age 5 … or even age 2. In fact, researchers have discovered that some infants die within hours of childbirth have artery blockage, which has been linked to high cholesterol levels of mothers.

Risk Factors in Childhood

What is the prevalence of modifiable CVD (Cardiovascular Disease) risk factors among children?

Source: Children Present a Window of Opportunity for Promoting Health", JACC (J American College of Cardiology), Volume 72, Issue 25, December 2018.

What are the top 2 modifiable risk factors above? Almost 100% of children have 'Non-Ideal Diet Score'. Approximately 50% of children have 'Physical Inactivity'.

Is physical activity (exercise) enough to prevent heart disease? In other words, is it enough to become active and eat whatever we feel like? No. Diet is far more important. See Diet vs Exercise for Heart Health.

When to start eating healthy?

Now! No need to wait for heart disease diagnosis, or high cholesterol numbers, or high BMI, or high waist-to-height-ratio to emerge. We should eat healthy now!

Source: Heart Disease Starts in Childhood (6 mins, 2013) by Dr Michael Greger. He mentions, "By age 10, nearly all kids have fatty streaks in their arteries. This is the first sign of atherosclerosis, the leading cause of death in the United States."

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