Nowadays, with the improvement of people's living standards, hypertension is no longer a disease exclusive to the elderly. More and more children are suffering from hypertension, which has attracted social attention.
Current situation: Childhood hypertension is increasingly affecting overweight children.
Childhood hypertension is mainly divided into two types: secondary and primary. Secondary hypertension is primarily caused by other diseases, such as those affecting the kidneys, cardiovascular system, or metabolic system. Primary hypertension, on the other hand, is closely related to a child's diet and lifestyle. Obesity, excessive salt intake, chronic stress, staying up late, a volatile temperament, and exposure to noise can all easily induce hypertension. Although over 80% of childhood hypertension cases are secondary, the proportion of primary hypertension is gradually increasing, especially among adolescents.
Genetic factors are also a significant reason why children are more susceptible to hypertension. Studies have confirmed that people with a family history of hypertension are more likely to develop it than the general population. Besides genetic inheritance, shared living environments and habits can also contribute to a family's predisposition to the disease. If hypertension is not controlled in childhood, it can easily develop into adult hypertension, requiring lifelong medication and potentially triggering a series of more serious illnesses. A 20-year study showed that 43% of children with hypertension will develop adult hypertension within 20 years.
What to do about high blood pressure in children?
Solution 1: Exercise for 1 hour every day
For obesity-related hypertension, treatment should focus on weight loss. Weight control not only lowers blood pressure but also reduces dyslipidemia and insulin resistance.
Develop a love for a sport. Children are naturally playful, and parents can intentionally cultivate their child's passion for a particular sport, especially for overweight children. Basketball, soccer, badminton, and jump rope are all good choices.
Find a playmate. Playing sports with friends can spark a child's interest in exercise. Parents can organize more group sports activities based on their child's abilities, such as finding two or three people to play ball together. Playing together will motivate children to compete and exercise more.
One hour of exercise daily. This is the regulation on the daily physical activity time for primary and secondary school students in the "National Fitness Regulations" promulgated by the State Council. Research shows that adolescents should exercise for no less than one hour every day to ensure their physical health and maintain a balance between diet and exercise.
Strategy Two: Reduce salt, sugar, and fat intake in your diet.
To avoid high blood pressure, the most important thing is to start with lifestyle changes. Diet is particularly important, and controlling salt intake is paramount. The World Health Organization recommends that each person should not consume more than 6 grams of salt per day. This 6 grams refers not only to table salt but also includes the salt content in seasonings and foods containing salt, such as MSG and soy sauce.
Therefore, pay attention to three things in your child's diet: it is best to prepare food with half the salt content separately for the child, and do not add salt to baby food; limit the child's intake of foods high in fat and salt, such as fast food; give the child sugary drinks, candies, and other overly sweet foods at regular times and in fixed quantities; avoid giving the child too many snacks at night; eat out less often; eat more fresh vegetables and fruits; and cultivate the child's interest in natural foods.
Solution 3: Buy a dedicated blood pressure monitor
Many children with mild hypertension do not experience any abnormalities in the early stages. Parents should pay close attention if their child frequently cries, becomes overly excited, experiences palpitations, shortness of breath, vomiting, seizures, fever, or edema. The "Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension in China" state that the diagnostic criteria for hypertension in children are: 2-5 years old > 115/75 mmHg, 5-10 years old > 125/80 mmHg, and 10-14 years old > 135/85 mmHg.
When measuring a child's blood pressure, ensure the child is quiet for 10 minutes beforehand. Have the child lie on their back or sit on a stool with their right arm extended straight up, ensuring the elbow is at the same level as the heart. Children with a family history of obesity or who are overweight should have their blood pressure measured every 3 months, taking 3 random measurements and averaging the results. For other children, an annual blood pressure check is sufficient.
Strategy 4: Stay away from cigarettes, computers, and stress
Children exposed to secondhand smoke at home have a 21% increased risk of developing high blood pressure, and the harm caused by a mother's smoking is greater than that caused by a father's smoking. Therefore, for the sake of your child's health and your own, it's best to quit smoking.
One of the contributing factors to childhood hypertension is stress, while electronic products such as computers and mobile phones can lead to children becoming addicted to the internet and games. Children's brains are still developing, and prolonged exposure to electronic products can cause an imbalance between excitation and inhibition in the cerebral cortex, leading to vasoconstriction throughout the body and consequently, elevated blood pressure.
Heavy academic workload and high psychological pressure are common problems faced by many school-aged children. This psychological pressure can cause tension and agitation, which in turn can lead to high blood pressure. Therefore, once parents find that their child is under too much pressure, they can take timely measures to relieve the pressure, such as taking the child out for a walk, encouraging more exercise, and giving the child some time to themselves.
