Your email address is safe with us. View our Privacy policy.
Canadian teens show heart, stroke risks
Dr. Brian McCrindle, a cardiologist at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, told the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Edmonton that the study investigated the heart health of 20,719 ninth-graders ages 14-15.
The study found that, between 2002 and 2008, the rates of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity in these teens were alarmingly high and, even more worrisome, increasing over time, McCrindle said.
One in five 14- and 15-year-olds had high blood pressure, while obesity rose from 11 percent to 13 percent, the study found.
The teens' elevated cholesterol rates had the greatest increase, accelerating from 9 percent to 16 percent in six years.
"An increase of this magnitude in this age group is astonishing," Dr. Beth Abramson, spokeswoman for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, said in a statement.
"These risk factor levels will continue to increase and track into adulthood unless we do something now. These children are in grave danger."
McCrindle noted that family history, low levels of physical activity, high levels of sedentary behavior, poor nutrition and lower socioeconomic status all play a role in the worsening of teen health.
Copyright 2009 by United Press International
This news arrived on: 10/27/2009
Printer Friendly Version | Send this page to a friend | Post Comment
Rate This Story:
Great - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - Bad
Posted Comments:
Comment archive | Comment FAQ's
 |
 |
|
View Technology Videos ezine stories by date or visit the complete archive |
The ArcaMax Politics channel is one of 70 content categories offered by ArcaMax Publishing on this ... |
VideoSquares.com
