Children from poorer families at increased risk for heart disease

Physicians are studying the narrowing of cervical arteries in children
A narrowing of the cervical arteries during childhood can lead to an increased risk of heart disease in adulthood. Researchers now found that children from financially disadvantaged families are at increased risk for signs of narrowing of the cervical arteries.

Researchers at the University of Melbourne found in their study that children from poorer families are more likely to experience constriction of the cervical arteries. This narrowing can lead to an increased likelihood of heart disease later in life. The experts published the results of their study in the medical journal "Journal of the American Heart Association".

If people develop heart disease later in life, it could be because they grew up as children in financially disadvantaged households. (Image: hriana / fotolia.com)

Physicians examine almost 1,500 subjects
The researchers investigated nearly 1,500 children of Australian families in their current study. The study looked for evidence that increased risk of heart disease can start at a young age. Every two years, an ultrasound scan was performed on the children to measure the thickness of the right carotid artery wall.

Children from financially disadvantaged families tend to become unhealthy arteries?
It is already known that financially disadvantaged adults are at higher risk for heart disease compared to wealthy people. However, it has not been clear to date whether children from poor families develop unhealthy arteries, which can be an early warning sign of future heart disease, the researchers explain.

Carotid arteries of the children were examined regularly with the help of ultrasound
The results suggest that socioeconomic status during the first decade of life may influence the development of subclinical atherosclerosis. Subclinical atherosclerosis refers to an early phase of narrowing in the arteries and is an indicator of an increased risk of heart disease, the researchers report. In the current study in particular the so-called carotid artery of children were considered. These arteries pass through the throat and deliver blood to the brain. With the help of ultrasound, the carotid arteries are easy to examine, say the doctors. Significant thickening in the walls of these arteries could signal subclinical atherosclerosis.

Children from poor households more often suffer from thickening of the carotid artery walls
The results of the study show that eleven and twelve-year-old children from financially disadvantaged families have increased thickening in the carotid artery walls. In addition, the blood vessels of these children appeared more than eight years older than their actual age, the experts explain. In adults, thickening of the carotid arteries is associated with an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, says author David Burgner.

Further research is needed
Nevertheless, the study can not prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship. Further research is needed to better understand such a relationship, the researchers say. If the children were in the top 25 percent with the largest wall thickness of the carotid artery, they were assigned a higher risk by the scientists. Adults in this category are at nearly twice as likely to develop heart disease and stroke as adults, compared with adults from the 25% with the lowest wall thickness, the researchers report.

How does financial disadvantage affect children's health??
If eleven or twelve-year-old children come from financially disadvantaged families, they have a 46 percent chance of falling into the higher-risk group compared to children from high-income families, according to the researchers. Disadvantaged children also suffered more often from overweight, high blood pressure, and were more often exposed to so-called passive smoking. However, these factors do not explain the results of examining the arteries, say the scientists.

Infections are the reason for the health problems?
Disadvantaged children get more infections and tend to develop them earlier in their lives. Frequent infections can trigger inflammation in the body, explain the physicians. These can then contribute to atherosclerosis. Children benefit from a healthy diet and regular exercise that keeps weight and blood pressure at a normal level. It is also important here that nutritious food is made more accessible to low-income families. (As)