Obese kids have six times greater risk of high blood pressure

A recent study conducted from Prevention Education Program (PEP) Family Heart Study in Germany showed that childhood obesity can increase the risk of hypertension in children and adolescents up to six times.

The study was presented by specialists at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress, who compared the risk of prehypertension in normal weight children and adolescents with overweight and obese children. They found that the risk of prehypertension was significantly higher in those who had an elevated body mass index (BMI). The risk was 1.6 fold higher in overweight and 2.4 fold higher in obese boys, and 1.8 fold higher in overweight and 3.3 fold higher in obese girls.

Further, they also examined the association between increased blood pressure and body fat distribution in young people. Professor Peter Schwandt from Germany said that general and abdominal obesity, were already significantly associated with prehypertension and hypertension in children and adolescents and this was of great importance because of the ongoing rise in the prevalence of hypertension and obesity in young people and the tracking of childhood overweight into adulthood.

Source: ANI

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