Obese toddlers are showing early signs of heart damage caused by obesity, a study has found.

A study of more than 400 children found changes in the structure of the heart in obese infants - including those below the age of one.

British experts said “alarm bells should be ringing” after scientists found significant changes in the hearts of the babies.

The study found obese children had 30 per cent thicker heart muscle compared to those of a healthy weight. Suffering from an abnormally enlarged organ is an early marker of heart disease.