Childhood obesity and blood pressure: back to the future?

Authors

Bonita Falkner, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Samuel Gidding, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow

Document Type

Editorial

Publication Date

11-1-2011

Comments

This article has been peer reviewed. It is the authors' final version prior to publication in Hypertension.

Volume 58, Issue 5, November 2011, Pages 754-755.

The published version is available at DOI: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.111.180430 . Copyright © American Heart Association

Abstract

The prevalence of childhood hypertension is increasing.^{1, 2} Studies that apply the 95^th percentile definition and repeat measurements on three separate visits, report a pediatric hypertension prevalence of approximately 3.5%^{3, 4}, and among obese children and adolescents the prevalence of both hypertension and prehypertension is even greater. The recently documented increase in hypertension among the young is due largely to the childhood obesity epidemic and possibly other secular changes in lifestyles. These publications and others confirm that hypertension is a prevalent child health condition, especially among overweight and obese children. A consistent positive association between body size and blood pressure level has been observed throughout childhood and adulthood. The report in this issue by Tu et al⁵ add additional insights on the impact of excess adiposity on blood pressure levels in childhood.

Recommended Citation

Falkner, Bonita and Gidding, Samuel, "Childhood obesity and blood pressure: back to the future?" (2011). Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers. Paper 44.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/pedsfp/44

PubMed ID

21968756