March 7, 2000 – When researchers at the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis compared the blood pressures of 10,000 children aged 10 to 14 with a similarly sized cohort tested 10 years earlier, they realized that hypertension blood pressure was no longer just an adult problem.
Systolic pressure (the first number in a blood pressure reading), which indicates the maximum pressure in the vessels, had increased by 1%. The number is small but significant because it indicates a tendency to develop hypertension in adulthood. The main culprit seems to be an increase in average weight varying between 1.5 and 3 kg.
This rise in blood pressure puts more strain on the heart and kidneys, and increases the risk of heart attack and kidney weakness. The first preventive measure is to maintain a healthy weight by emphasizing physical activity and a healthy diet, which is often quite a challenge, especially during adolescence. In any case, it is desirable to have children’s blood pressure taken and to know if this pressure is normal or high for their age and sex. If it is high, a diet that includes more fruits and vegetables, and less fat and dairy, is often enough to make all the difference. In rare cases, you will even have to think about medication …
HealthPassport.net
According to Prevention, April 2000 and Luepker RV, Jacobs DR, Prineas RJ, Sinaiko AR. Secular trends of blood pressure and body size in a multi-ethnic adolescent population: 1986 to 1996. J Pediatr. 1999 Jun; 134 (6): 668-74.
