Spare tire in kids linked to heart risk

"Children with more fat around their midsections may be at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life, U.S. researchers say. The study, published in the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, suggests clinical measurement of the waist may help identify the children most likely to develop the warning signs of cardiovascular disease. In the study sample of 188 obese children ages 7-11, those with a waist circumference above the 90th percentile were three times more likely to have high triglycerides - fat particles in the blood - and nearly four times more likely to have lower levels of high density lipoproteins – "good cholesterol." They were also 3.7 times more likely to have high fasting insulin levels - a diabetes precursor." - UPI