Obesity and left ventricular dilatation in young adulthood: the Bogalusa Heart Study.

Background: Cardiac enlargement is an important predictor of adverse cardiovascular (CV) events. Left ventricular (LV) dilatation is a precursor both of LV dysfunction and clinical heart failure. The present study examines risk factors for LV dilatation among 832 young adults (341 male, 491 female) who participated in the Bogalusa Heart Study.