Fatty, sweet and calorie-laden foods reduce vascular elasticity since childhood

People who eat a lot of sweet, fatty and calorie-dense foods from childhood have increased vascular stiffness in later life. This was found out in the process of research scientists at the University of Bristol, reports the publication British Journal of Nutrition (BJN).

The experiment involved 4700 people. Information about their nutrition scientists received, thanks to a long-term longitudinal study of parents and children born in the 90's, which were conducted by other experts. The scientists analyzed the children's nutritional data at ages 7, 10 and 13, and then measured arterial wall thickness and stiffness when their ages reached 17 and 24.

They found that children who ate high-calorie foods high in sugar and fat often developed arterial stiffness in adolescence, unlike those who ate healthier foods. And a significant vasoprotective effect was exerted by fruits, vegetables, fish, whole grains cheese.

As the authors of the study note, a decrease in the elasticity of blood vessels is a sign of their damage, and in the long term it can provoke hypertension, stroke and heart disease.