HELSINKI, Feb. 7 -- Signs of artery disease could appear in childhood, said a latest doctoral dissertation published by University of Tampere of Finland.

If people do not change their unhealthy lifestyle in childhood, the risk of developing coronary artery disease in adulthood will rise, the paper said.

As a result of a nearly 30-year long study, the thesis showed that eating and exercise habits in childhood are associated with systolic blood pressure, insulin and triglycerides in adulthood.

In addition, change of lifestyle in childhood was significantly related to the level of cardiovascular health, the Finnish Broadcasting Company reported on Friday, quoting the study.

Heikki Aatola, author of the thesis from University of Tampere, said that lack of exercises, overweight and insufficiency vegetable and fruit intake are key risks to vascular health of children.

"If people do not change their way of life, or even make it worse, (in the future) the risk of developing arterial disease will occur younger than present," Aatola said.

The long-term research started from 1980, and 3,596 subjects aged 3 to 18 years attended. Follow-up studies with standard physical examinations and blood samplings were conducted respectively in 1983, 1986, 2001, and 2007.

According to World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease has become a top threat to human health around the world since last decade, and about 17 million people die of cardiovascular disease every year worldwide.