Hypertension in kids is reversible

DOUBLES IN TWO DECADES

- SINDUJA JANE @Chennai

CHILDHOOD hypertension has nearly doubled in two decades globally, affecting children under the age of 19 years, according to a study recently published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. According to the researchers, obesity is the leading cause of this problem. However, there is a ray of hope as doctors say this condition in kids can be reversed with lifestyle modifications, which otherwise would lead to adulthood hypertension.

Take the case of 12-year-old Anand (name changed) who was brought to the hospital with borderline blood pressure. He was overweight and his screen time was very high. “After changing his routine, bringing down his screen time, adding cycling to his routine, and implementing a fixed sleep cycle, his BP returned to normal within three months. Childhood hypertension is very much reversible in most cases,” said Dr P Subash Chandra Bose, Senior Consultant, Paediatrician, SIMS Hospital.

What the study found

In the meta-analysis of data from 96 studies involving more than four lakh children, researchers found that the prevalence of high blood pressure in children and teenagers under 19 years has increased to 6.2% in 2020, from 3.2% in 2000, affecting around 114 million children globally.