Hubballi: A landmark multi-state study has raised fresh concerns over the growing incidence of sudden cardiac arrests among children and young adults, suggesting that the roots of heart disease may be taking hold far earlier than previously believed.
Submitted to the Karnataka govt and district administration, the study is the first large-scale Indian research to comprehensively assess cardiovascular risk factors among children and young adults. It covered 347 apparently healthy adolescents aged 6-18 years and 62 young adults aged 18-30 years across 13 states, including 25 districts in Karnataka.
Researchers found alarmingly high levels of cardiovascular risk markers even among apparently healthy youngsters, with evidence that damage to blood vessels may begin in childhood. They called for early screening, healthier diets, regular physical activity, and preventive interventions well before adulthood.
The study, conducted by the Multi-Disciplinary Research Unit (MRU) at Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute (KMCRI), Hubballi, in collaboration with the Union govt’s Department of Health Research, found that 70.3% of adolescents and 90.3% of young adults surveyed had hyperhomocysteinemia — an emerging but often overlooked marker associated with cardiovascular disease.
More worrying were test results that revealed early blood vessel damage in many participants. Among adolescents, 17.6% showed endothelial dysfunction — an early sign of injury to the inner lining of blood vessels — while 11.8% had severe endothelial dysfunction.
Researchers also found evidence of premature atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, in 8.8% of participants, indicating that the earliest stages of coronary artery disease could begin decades before symptoms appear.
“The findings point to a silent cardiometabolic crisis unfolding among India’s youth,” said Dr Ram Kaulgud, nodal officer at MRU.
The study also highlighted poor metabolic health. More than 70% of participants were overweight, while nearly 40% had abnormal cholesterol levels — both established risk factors for heart disease.
In addition, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), an indicator of inflammation linked to cardiovascular disease, placed 28.2% of adolescents and 25.8% of young adults in the high-risk category.
The research team — comprising Dr Ram Kaulgud, Dr Manjunath Nekar, and MRU scientists Shivakumar Belur and Arun Shettar — said the findings should serve as a wake-up call for parents, schools and policymakers.
Dr Kaulgud identified physical inactivity as one of the strongest drivers of early cardiovascular risk, adding that the deadly link has now been validated across 13 states.
