Atherosclerosis—A Pediatric Nutrition Problem?

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Abstract
To recapitulate the natural history of aortic atherosclerosis, the first two decades of life are taken up with the formation of fatty streaks which we believe are primarily due to local formation. In the second two decades the arterial wall reacts to certain lipids with the proliferation of connective tissue elements. Later complications may precipitate one or more of the well known clinical manifestations. The pediatric component of the problem is the development of aortic fatty streaks beginning in infancy and accelerating during puberty. Aortic fatty streaks are universal in all parts of the world so far studied and appear to be independent of diet. An important consideration is the marked individual variation in extent of these lesions, which could be genetic; it does not appear to be ethnic. Fibrocystic disease of the pancreas is associated with a decreased amount of fatty streaking in the aorta and might be investigated as a possible clue to the etiology and pathogenesis of this lesion.