Unhealthy lifestyle in children, adolescents linked to high blood pressure

It is very important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and for children the easiest way is by constantly being active and playing around and prevents early weight gain A new study has found that for those children who are inactive or have diets with a lot of sugar and salt and have excess weight suffer from high blood pressure in nine out of ten occurrences The new study which focuses on hypertension in children aged 6 to 16 advises families to improve their overall healthThe findings of the consensus paper by heart health experts were published in the European Heart Journal a journal of the European Society of Cardiology ESCParents are significant agents of change in the promotion of childrens health behaviours said first author professor Giovanni de Simone of the University of Naples Federico II Italy Very often high blood pressure andor obesity coexist in the same family But even when this is not the case it is desirable that lifestyle modifications involve all family membersDietary recommendations for treating high blood pressure in children include emphasising fresh vegetables fruits and other high fibre foods limiting salt intake and avoiding sugarsweetened drinks and saturated fat Children and adolescents should do at least one hour of moderatetovigorous physical activity every day such as jogging cycling or swimming and spend no more than two hours a day on sedentary activities Parents should monitor the amount of time their children spend watching TV or using smartphones and suggest active alternatives said de SimoneRealistic goals should be set for weight diet and physical activity that focus on the aspects needing the most improvement Recording weight eating habits and exercise over time mdash but without becoming obsessive mdash can help young people and their families to track progress towards their goals said de SimoneA healthpromoting reward system is recommended Professor de Simone said Ideal incentives are those that increase social support and reinforce the value of targeted behaviours such as a family bike ride or a walk with friendsThe document refers to childhood obesity and hypertension as insidious siblings which gradually become a serious health hazard Studies have shown that childhood hypertension is becoming more common and that part of the increase can be explained by obesity particularly abdominal obesity It is estimated that less than 2 per cent of normal weight children are hypertensive compared to 5 per cent of overweight and 15 per cent of obese children Professor de Simone said The rise in childhood hypertension is of great concern as it is associated with persistence of hypertension and other cardiovascular problems during adulthoodEarly diagnosis of elevated blood pressure is crucial so that it can be managed with lifestyle and if needed medications Even one blood pressure measurement by a doctor or nurse can identify children with high blood pressure but a second visit is recommended for confirmation Professor de Simone said Screening should be performed in the primary care setting at least yearly regardless of symptoms This is because hypertension in children as in adults is usually asymptomaticWhen blood pressure measurements point to hypertension a medical history and physical examination are needed to determine potential causes and identify behaviours that can be modified Information includes family history of hypertension and cardiovascular disease birth weight and gestational age details on lifestyle such as smoking salt intake alcohol consumption physical exercise and leisure time activities and possible symptoms including headache nosebleeds vertigo visual impairment low school performance attention difficulties shortness of breath chest pain palpitations and faintingIn the early stages treatment of childhood hypertension should focus on education and behaviour change If blood pressure goals are not achieved a single lowdose drug should be introduced If one drug is ineffective small doses of two drugs may be neededThe authors call for public health agencies to prioritise prevention and management of hypertension in children and adolescents For example campaigns to increase awareness of the risks of high blood pressure in young people and the positive impact of a healthy lifestyle including physical activity a nutritious diet low in salt and sugar and not smoking Other recommended actions include protected time for children on TV and social media without promotion of junk food or potentially deleterious lifestyle habitsAlso Read With long Covid19 women more likely to have smell taste problems ResearchThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever