High blood pressure in children - a very real and very scary problem

by Vanessa Jackson, FSP Health, 17 February 2014

Did you think you're not going to have to worry about high blood pressure because you haven't hit your 60s yet? Well, we're sorry to tell you that not only are you at greater risk no matter your age, your children's risk for high blood pressure is growing too! Here's what you need to do to stop it…

The cases of high blood pressure in children and teens had doubled and tripled respectively in the last 30 years, says the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Scary fact: Obesity in children leads to a growing number of high blood pressure cases

Diets high in sodium and processed fats are causing your children to become obese. Children are eating far more than they should and far too many bad types of foods too!

And it’s not just the fat on the outside that’s worrying… It’s having a direct effect on the health of their heart.

A whopping 70% of obese children have an increase in their risk of at least one factor that leads to heart disease.

Here’s what you can do to lower the risk of high blood pressure in your child

Take control of your child’s health and start changing their lifestyle so you can change their risk of heart disease.

· Follow the DASH diet as a family, so your child benefits too

· Increase your child’s daily activity – only allow them to watch TV or play at the computer once the sun has gone down. Encourage them to do some sort of sport they enjoy.

· Watch your child’s weight and pack their school lunch for them.

· Don’t smoke around your child – this can increase their risk of high blood pressure

· Ensure you’re monitoring their blood pressure at home so you can make a note of improvements.

Once you’re in control of your child’s diet and level of activity, their blood pressure should come down naturally. Before you take your child off any medications, make sure you’re consulting with your child’s doctor and showing them the improvements you’ve recorded. Together, you and your child can lead a healthy life.

Tags: high blood pressure, high blood pressure in children, preventing high blood pressure in children, obesity and high blood pressure, what causes high blood pressure in children, obesity leads to high blood pressure in children, hypertension in children, blood pressure for children, normal blood pressure in children

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