Research we funded shows that a diet high in calories, fat and sugar during childhood can damage blood vessel function and is known to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke starting in early adolescence. I am. The team behind the study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, said the results highlight the importance of healthy eating habits throughout life to protect heart health.

Arteries carry blood rich in oxygen and nutrients from the heart to the rest of the body. Arteries naturally harden as you age, but this can be exacerbated by conditions such as smoking and diabetes. When your arteries become stiff, your blood pressure increases, which increases the workload on your heart and increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Researchers at the University of Bristol investigated the association between childhood diet and arteriosclerosis in adolescence. Researchers found that eating a diet high in calories, fat, sugar, and low in fiber at ages 7 and 10 was associated with stiffer arteries at age 17.

Additionally, Mediterranean and anti-inflammatory dietary patterns appear to be protective of heart health, with children whose diets most closely resemble these patterns having arteries that are less stiff and more elastic at age 17. was high.

“We can expect long-term effects.”

Dr Genevieve Buckland, BHF Research Fellow at Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, who led the study, said: Atherosclerosis is an important sign of vascular damage and can have long-term effects.

“Through its association with high blood pressure, it is associated with a variety of serious conditions such as heart failure, stroke, and vascular dementia. We hope this highlights the need for preventive strategies.”

Researchers collected dietary information on more than 4,700 children involved. Children’s health survey in the 1990s. Their diets were studied when they reached ages 7, 10, and 13. Arterial stiffness and arterial wall thickness were then measured in thousands of these children at ages 17 and 24.

Meals were rated using five different quality scores. The score reflects how well your child’s diet matches her five dietary patterns, each of which is known to either protect heart health or increase the risk of heart disease. .

Children who ate a diet high in calories, fat, and sugar, and low in fiber at ages 7 and 10 years old had lower rates of calorie, fat, and sugar content compared to children who ate foods high in calories, fat, and sugar during childhood. By the age of 17, his arteries had hardened. In previous studies of these children, this high-calorie dietary pattern was associated with excess weight in childhood and adolescence.

healthier eating

Several of the other dietary patterns investigated were also associated with vascular health. Seven-year-olds who ate a Mediterranean-style diet that included fruits and vegetables, beans and lentils, fish and unsaturated fats, and less meat and meat products had reduced arteriosclerosis by age 17.

Similarly, eating a diet high in anti-inflammatory nutrients at age 10 was associated with lower arterial stiffness at age 17. Foods thought to have anti-inflammatory properties include fruits and vegetables, especially berries and a variety of brightly colored vegetables. Nuts, seeds, spices, seafood.

In general, children who eat healthier diets are more likely to be female, have a lower BMI, and have mothers who are more educated and from higher socio-economic backgrounds, according to the study’s scoring system.

said Dr. Sonya Babu Narayan, our Associate Medical Director. “Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of disability and premature death in the UK, and can hit people living in the most deprived areas the hardest. The findings show that to halt the progression of heart disease, we need to This suggests that improvements in people’s diets need to start early and continue throughout life.

“Ensuring healthy options are an easy option for everyone requires a bold and comprehensive approach from government. This includes overdue legislation to curb junk food marketing. This includes promoting industry to reduce the levels of salt and sugar in everyday foods. Only then can children have the chance to live long, healthy lives, no matter where they live. can be given.”

This research was also supported by the Wellcome Trust and the UK Medical Research Council.

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