by University of Bristol

Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Diets high in calories, fat and sugar in childhood can cause damage to blood vessel function, known to heighten the risk of early heart attacks and strokes, as early as adolescence according to new research from the University of Bristol.

The team has published their study in the British Journal of Nutrition today (10 January) and say their findings highlight the importance of healthy eating habits throughout life to protect heart health. The article is titled "Associations of childhood diet quality scores with arterial stiffness and carotid artery intima-media thickness in adolescence/early adulthood: findings from the ALSPAC cohort."

Arteries carry blood rich in oxygen and nutrients from the heart to the rest of the body. Arteries naturally stiffen as we age, but this can be aggravated by smoking or conditions like diabetes. Stiff arteries can drive up blood pressure, increase the workload on the heart and raise the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

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

In addition, Mediterranean and anti-inflammatory eating patterns appeared to be protective for heart health, and children whose diets were most similar to these patterns had less stiff and more elastic arteries at age 17.

Dr. Genevieve Buckland, BHF Research Fellow at Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, who led the research, said, "Our research highlights the importance of developing well-balanced eating habits from childhood to reduce the risk of future heart problems. Arterial stiffness is an important sign of blood vessel damage with potential for long-lasting effects.

"Through its links to high blood pressure, it is associated with a variety of serious conditions including heart failure, stroke and vascular dementia. We hope that our work highlights the need for prevention strategies to stop arterial stiffness developing in people from such a young age."

Researchers collected information on the diets of more than 4,700 children involved in the Children of the 90s health study. 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.

Diet was assessed using five different quality scores. The scores reflected how closely the child's diet aligned to five dietary patterns, with each known to either help protect heart health or raise the risk of heart problems.

More information: Genevieve Buckland et al, Associations of childhood diet quality scores with arterial stiffness and carotid artery intima-media thickness in adolescence/early adulthood: findings from the ALSPAC cohort, British Journal of Nutrition (2024). DOI: 10.1017/S0007114523002763

Journal information: British Journal of Nutrition 

Provided by University of Bristol