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Obesity Prompts High Blood Pressure in Kids
May 7, 2002 -- Children who are overweight are not only more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, but they'll probably get it sooner than others who weigh less -- increasing the risk of long-term complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes.
A new study shows that children with a higher than normal body mass index or BMI (a measurement that indicates weight in relationship to height to determine obesity) are more likely to have high blood pressure and have developed the condition earlier than those with a lower BMI.
"We originally thought children with a higher BMI would have primary hypertension, and this study confirmed that belief," says study author Donald Batisky, MD, of the Columbus Children's Research Hospital, in a news release. "Obesity among children is a serious concern, as are the consequences like cardiovascular disease or other complications."
Batisky presented his findings this week at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Society in Baltimore.
Researchers studied 314 children with either primary or secondary hypertension. Primary hypertension accounts for the vast majority of high blood pressure cases and is caused by a variety of factors including obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and dietary issues. Secondary hypertension is high blood pressure caused by another condition or medication.
They found that BMI scores were higher among children with primary hypertension, and high BMI was also associated with an earlier onset of the condition.
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