The authors compared in a group of 11-18-year-old obese and non-obese probands selected parameters related to the development of cardiovascular diseases. In all tested parameters - systolic and diastolic pressure, serum lipid levels , atherogenic risk index - the findings in the groups of obese children were less favourabnle at the level of significance of P < 0.05-0.001. The prevalence of suboptimal findings of all investigated parameters in particular blood pressure, triacyglycerols and the risk index were higher in the groups of obese probands as compared with normal weight children and adolescents. Similary the prevalence of a positive family-history, i.e. the presence of hypertension, ischaemic heart disease and myocardial infarction in the parents before the age 50 year was higher in the obese groups. Comparison of the investigated parameters of the health status netween obese and non-obese probands confirmed that obesity as one of the risk factors is significantly more frequently associated with other adverse findings - dyslipida- emia, hypertension and this potentiates the risk of earlyy onset of cardiovascular disease in adult age.

        Key words: children - adolescents - obesity - serum lipids - risk index