High blood pressure rates recorded among young people worldwide nearly doubled in 20 years, research found.
The work collated existing research and found that between 2000 and 2020, the percentage of under-19s with hypertension went up from around 3% to around 6%. The condition is associated with raised risk of cardiovascular disease in later life.
The researchers said that rising childhood obesity, salt intake, and sedentary behavior could be driving the increase. Another recent paper found broadly similar results. A likely factor is that screening and measurement have improved, meaning more cases of hypertension are detected than in the past, but the evidence suggests the rise is largely real.
