New research shows that around 14% of children and teens in the U.S. either have high blood pressure or are close to developing it.
This highlights the need to focus on preventing high blood pressure at an early age, as it can lead to serious health problems like heart disease and stroke later in life.
“High blood pressure can start in childhood, and it’s a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke,” said Dr. Ahlia Sekkarie, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Monitoring kids’ blood pressure is important because those with risk factors in youth are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease as adults.”
Dr. Sekkarie and her team presented their findings at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions.
The study used data from the 2017-2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to analyze blood pressure in about 2,600 children and teens aged 8 to 19.
Nearly half of adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure, which can lead to damaged arteries and cause heart attacks, strokes, and other health issues.
Previous studies have shown that high blood pressure in children is linked to heart problems later in life.
In 2017, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated its guidelines for diagnosing high blood pressure in kids.
For children under 13, high blood pressure is diagnosed when three or more blood pressure readings are at or above the 95th percentile compared to other kids of the same age, sex, and height.
For teens aged 13 and older, blood pressure is diagnosed the same way it is in adults.
The study found that 8.7% of children had elevated blood pressure, while 5.4% had high blood pressure. Boys were more likely to have high blood pressure than girls, and the rates increased with age.
Children with severe obesity had the highest rates of high blood pressure. Interestingly, Hispanic youth had the lowest rate of elevated blood pressure compared to other groups.
High blood pressure can often be prevented or managed through healthy lifestyle habits. These include maintaining a healthy weight, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, limiting salt, avoiding smoking and alcohol, and staying physically active.
Dr. Elaine Urbina, director of preventive cardiology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, emphasized the importance of recognizing that high blood pressure can start in childhood, especially during adolescence. She stressed that poor lifestyle choices, as well as overweight and obesity, are key factors.
Dr. Sekkarie pointed out that some doctors may not always follow guidelines to screen for high blood pressure in children, allowing the condition to go unnoticed. As kids grow older and leave pediatric care, they may miss out on regular blood pressure screenings.
The study serves as a reminder to focus on preventing high blood pressure early to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke later in life.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about breakfast for better blood pressure management, and the gut feeling that lowers blood pressure.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how the dash diet helps lower blood pressure, and how to eat your way to healthy blood pressure.
Source: American Heart Association.
