HEALTH TIPS, GUIDES AND RELATIONSHIP ADVICE

Increasing Risk of Hypertension among Children

We have this notion in our mind that hypertension is an adult’s disease and fact is that it is true to some extent. Recent studies have shown that cases of hypertension in children are increasing. It is expected that out of all the overweight children, 30% have a higher risk of having hypertension.

There are many reasons contributing to this:

* One of which is that parents don’t want their children to be kids anymore. Due to increase in media coverage of abuse case, drug story or child kidnap, children are not expected to come out on the streets. They lead a sedimentary live that is they spend more time indoors playing computer games, watching TV, etc.

* There is more focus on children academic excellence rather than their physical development. As both the parents in most of the families are working therefore it’s not possible for child to have home cooked food.

* Whether, its school lunch or TV dinner over dependence on cheap fast food has been seen. Thus both the important meals are lacking fruits and vegetables and having too much Trans fat and salt. Food manufactures add both these things to packed food in order to make it tasty. It has been found out that one packet of potato chips contains 117% of the daily recommended salt consumption for kids.

* As a fact, only 10 % of children are diagnosed with hypertension because doctors don’t consider checking child’s blood pressure and even the parent’s do not feel like getting their child’s BP checked. Studies in Sweden have shown that premature babies are predisposed to hypertension. They have suggested that children born at 29 weeks or less were more than twice as likely to suffer high blood pressure.  It is a normal procedure to get blood pressure checked annually of those children born with hypertension.

Symptoms of hypertension starts reflecting in adults only when the condition reaches an advanced level whereas more than 50% of children suffering from hypertension have symptoms ranging from chest pains, sleeping difficulties , daytime tiredness and frequent headaches.

But the good news is that for most of the children good diet and exercise routine is recommended as a treatment by the doctors. Hardly ever a child is medicated for high blood pressure problems. So next time when you visit a doctor, as a precautionary method get your child’s blood pressure checked.