The cardiometabolic syndrome in the adolescent.

With recent increases in obesity among the pediatric age group, problems previously seen primarily in adults, such as type 2 diabetes and essential hypertension, are being more frequently diagnosed in young individuals. This has lead to interest in the development of the constellation of cardiovascular risk factors known as the cardiometabolic syndrome in the pediatric population. With these cardiovascular risk factors manifesting earlier, there is reason to be concerned that the earlier and longer exposure will result in earlier presentation of cardiovascular and microvascular events and lead to a devastating public health impact. In this review we examine the evidence for the increased prevalence of the cardiometabolic syndrome in the pediatric age group and the impact of childhood overweight on the prevalence of this syndrome in children as well as the impact on adult obesity and metabolic derangements.