A new study suggests that the seeds of high blood pressure in adulthood may be planted in youth.
According to the report
Researchers found that there is actually a linear relationship between high blood pressure in adulthood and childhood overweight and obesity.
The results show that the heavier a child is or the heavier he or she is during puberty, the greater the likelihood of developing high blood pressure in adulthood.
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The World Health Organization estimates that nearly 1.3 billion adults aged 30 to 79 have high blood pressure, which increases the risk of stroke, heart attacks, and kidney disease.
High body mass index (BMI) in adults is strongly associated with high blood pressure, but it is unclear whether being overweight in childhood contributes to this risk.
In this study, researchers analyzed data from about 1,700 Swedes born between 1948 and 1968.
For these individuals, BMI is measured at ages 7 to 8 and again at ages 18 to 20.
Systolic
For every one-unit increase in BMI in childhood, middle-aged men had a 1.3-unit increase in blood pressure.
The results show that for every one-unit increase in BMI during puberty, men experience a 1-unit increase in blood pressure.
Similarly, middle-aged women had a 0.96-point increase in blood pressure.
However, no association was observed between prepubescent childhood BMI and hypertension in women.
According to researchers, excess fat in childhood can cause low-level inflammation and blood vessel problems that contribute to high blood pressure as you age.