Unfit Irish teenagers show evidence of heart disease

Unfit Irish teenagers are showing evidence of heart disease, according to a new study.

The groundbreaking work being carried out in Dublin City University on male transition-year students has found teenagers with low fitness levels are showing worrying early signs of cardiovascular disease, which is Ireland’s biggest killer — accounting for a third of all deaths every year.

Tests in the ongoing study found 15-year-old boys with low fitness levels have less healthy blood vessels than high-fit students with some also showing signs of hypertension and high cholesterol.