Malnutrition ‘increases long-term heart disease risk’

Children who suffer from malnutrition have a heightened long-term risk for developing heart disease as they grow older, it has been revealed.

According to a study published in the European Heart Journal and reported by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), children who suffered from famine in Holland following the second world war were found to have a 27 per cent higher rate of heart disease as they aged.

"Although it wasn't clear exactly what changes occurred in the body to increase the risk, this highlights how our environment can have a long-term impact upon our heart health," commented BHF senior heart health dietitian Victoria Taylor.

She added that it is therefore important to provide a healthy diet to young people, despite the fact that famine conditions do not exist in the UK.

Meanwhile, a new test has been devised that could improve identification of those most at risk of heart disease.

It measures levels of coronary artery calcium and has been found to be more effective than looking at C-reactive protein when determining those likely to suffer from coronary incidents.