As I was perusing the titles of my RSS feeds, I came across one titled, “Obese Children Show Signs of Heart Diease Typically Seen in Middle Aged Adults, Researcher Says.”1 Researchers at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress presented findings of their study of 63 children. Obese children were found to have aortic stenosis, or hardening of the aorta, a vessel exiting from the heart. Aortic stenosis is a sign of heart disease and a risk factor for heart attacks and stroke. This is typically seen in middle age, and now in children that are obese. The researchers warn, “We must rethink the lifestyle standards we have accepted as a society to protect the future health of our kids.”
In addition to having to screen kids for type II diabetes and obesity, previously unheard of diseases in children, now pediatricians have to add heart disease to the list and all due in part to physical inactivity. I’ve even heard some are measuring kids’ waist circumference. Diet is definitely a factor: soft drinks, fatty foods, and sweets, but kids just aren’t moving enough. Think about it… have we made a life for them to be active? And are we setting a good example of having active lifestyles ourselves? I know as a kid growing up, my mom wanted me out of the house and playing. I rode my bike as much as possible. I rode my bike anywhere I wanted. I played softball with kids in the neighborhood. Do kids do that today? Can kids do that today? One thing I do know is there were no computers or smart phones back in the day…
The CDC statistics show that childhood obesity rates continue to grow steadily up and up.2 Where is this going? Are kids going to need cardiologists? High schoolers having strokes? Kids getting blood pressure monitors for their 13th birthday? When you think about, it’s scary.
- Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (2010, October 25). Obese children show signs of heart disease typically seen in middle-aged adults, researcher says. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 30, 2010, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2010/10/101025005834.htm [↩]
- http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity_child_07_08/obesity_child_07_08.htm [↩]
MoniqueSerpasPT
My name is Monique Serpas, PT, DPT, OCS. I am a physical therapist and board-certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist practicing at the Southeast Louisiana Healthcare System in New Orleans, LA. I realize how difficult it can be to overcome an injury or manage a chronic condition and am focused on helping my clients achieve wellness through a physically active lifestyle. I treat orthopaedic, balance, and vestibular disorders and practice using a combination of hands-on manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and education. This enables my patients to assist in their own recovery and injury prevention. I also have developed fall prevention and golf-related rehab programs in the past. I hold a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Concordia University Wisconsin (2008) and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Louisiana State University (2004). I am a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), Louisiana Physical Therapy Association (LPTA), and the Orthopaedic and Neurology sections of the APTA.
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October 31, 2010
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