Determinants of early atherosclerosis in obese children and adolescents.

Context: Obesity in childhood is associated with an increased mortality due to cardiovascular (CV) diseases in adulthood, independent of adult weight. Recent studies in children indicate that the atherosclerosis process starts at an early age and is linked to obesity.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate determinants of increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), an early marker of atherosclerosis, in obese children.