Originally published August 6 2005
Smoking and obesity means double trouble for teens
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Obesity and tobacco smoke are a dangerous cardiac combination for America's teens, a new study finds, and the danger is nearly as great if the smoke arrives secondhand rather than puffed directly.
Exposure to cigarette smoke raises the risk among teens of metabolic syndrome, a disorder associated with excess belly fat that increases the chances of heart disease, stroke and diabetes, according to a study.
In the study, published Monday in the American Heart Association online journal Circulation, researchers found that 6 percent of 12- to 19-year-olds had metabolic syndrome and that the prevalence increased with exposure to tobacco smoke.
The study found that 1 percent of those unexposed to smoke developed the syndrome, 5 percent of those exposed to secondhand smoke had the disorder and 9 percent of active smokers had it.
Looking at teens who were overweight or at risk for being overweight, the effect of smoke was even more marked, with 6 percent of those not exposed to smoke developing syndrome, 20 percent of those exposed to secondhand smoke getting it and 24 percent of smokers suffering from the disorder.
"What this shows is that the percentages of kids who are at risk is vastly higher if they're overweight and they're exposed to secondhand smoke, down to very low levels," Weitzman said.
Weitzman said it is not clear what it is about smoking that appears to make teenagers more susceptible to metabolic syndrome.
However, in adults smoking has been linked to insulin resistance, a risk factor for metabolic syndrome.
Doctors also point out that smoking can lower levels of good cholesterol and raise blood pressure, two more markers for the disorder.
The youngsters reported their own use of tobacco.
Also, the study looked at measurements of cotinine, a product of nicotine after it enters the body.
"It's sobering," said Dr. Michael Lim, assistant professor of internal medicine in the division of cardiology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine.
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