Hypertension, or high blood pressure (BP) is one of the most common health problems in adults but now sounds alarming as the rates are increasing in children and adolescents.
High BP is often known as a ‘silent killer’ because it causes damage to the body without any prominent symptoms and can lead to death as well.
Pediatric hypertension, or the prevalence of high blood pressure in children and teenagers under 19, has increased to 6.2%, rising from 3.2% in the space of just 20 years.
For kids who are overweight or obese, the percentage with high blood pressure can be up to 25% of the population, and high BP is more common in boys and in kids older than 12.
According to a global report, a survey shows that childhood hypertension nearly doubled between 2000 and 2020, affecting over 114 million young people worldwide.
The findings, which are based on a meta-analysis of data from 96 studies involving more than 400,000 children across 21 countries, were published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health journal.
The problem is most common in Asia while it is increasing rapidly in Europe and UK as well.
Medical experts link obesity with high blood pressure among children, as nearly 20% obese children were having hypertension issues as compared to healthy ones.
Experts explain that poor diets and a sedentary or inactive lifestyle are increasing obesity rates, which triggers high blood pressure.
According to one of the largest reviews that combined data from 20 years, poor health conditions in children are due to consumption of processed foods and less physical activity.
Doctors informed that high BP levels rose sharply in early adolescence and underlined the critical importance of regular screening during these critical years, as children and teenagers with prehypertension are more likely to progress to full hypertension.
Prehypertension is especially prevalent during adolescence, with rates reaching 11.8% among teenagers, compared with about 7% in younger children.
High BP can damage children’s organs, including the heart, kidneys and eyes, making it essential to diagnose and treat early.
Research findings reveal that children who have developed pre-hypertension reaching adulthood were facing potentially deadly and lifelong harm, as high blood pressure can steadily damage the body for years before people experience symptoms.
The excess pressure can cause aneurysms, or bulges, in weak arteries, which can be fatal if they burst. The strain on the heart can also lead to heart failure.
The high BP damages the smooth inner lining of arteries, leading to inflammation and plaques that make arteries stiffer and narrower, which can limit blood flow to the heart, causing angina, irregular heart rhythms and heart attacks.
The kidneys are particularly vulnerable, with damaged blood vessels preventing the organs from filtering waste from the blood, which can leave people needing dialysis or a kidney transplant.
The eyes are also at risk because of the tiny blood vessels in them, with damage causing bleeding, blurred vision, and blindness.
Blocked or narrowed arteries can restrict blood flow to the brain, causing vascular dementia and mini-strokes, while clots or bleeds caused by hypertension can result in major strokes.
Prof. Steve Turner, the president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, expressed that “This sharp rise in high blood pressure among children is deeply concerning, as children are not only presenting hypertension but also other serious conditions linked to obesity, such as type 2 diabetes, asthma, and mental health problems.
Different countries have a different threshold for diagnosing high blood pressure.
The healthy range of BP in UK is 90/60 to 120/80 and slightly raised blood pressure is 120/80 to 139/89 while the high BP ranges between 140-90 or upwards.
For U.S., the high blood ranges between 130/80 to 139/89 are called stage 1 hypertension, whereas stage 2 hypertension is diagnosed at 140/90 and over.
How to reverse high blood pressure?
The good news is that obesity-related high blood pressure can be reversed in children.
Health experts suggest that proper diagnoses and healthy diets followed by active lifestyle changes can help overcome hypertension or prehypertension issues in children and at the beginning level.
Additionally, Prof. Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer,British Heart Foundation, suggests a bold global action is needed from governments as well to prevent children from having obesity in the first place, which is the major reason linked to high blood pressure and other health complications.
"This includes expanding restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy products and exploring further measures to drive the food industry to make our everyday foods healthier," said Prof. Bryan.