High blood pressure or hypertension is usually a disorder that, in most cases, is related with older people. But it is known that kids can be facing this illness as well, and in some cases from a very early age (even as infants). The rate at which the disease is increasing among children worries experts, who point out the relationship between childhood obesity and high blood pressure. Actually, if we tried to rank all the factors that cause high pressure, undoubtedly obesity would be in the top three. That is why doctors often declare that childhood obesity can lead to high blood pressure levels with disastrous results.
A “hidden” enemy
It is actually a problem that can’t be identified directly, since children who suffer from this do not have other health problems but there is medical background to the family of this disease and they follow an unhealthy lifestyle that includes poor nutrition, body weight more than the usual and in the form of fat, lack of exercise and physical activities, and stress which coexists with them in their daily lives. If such a disease left unchecked, it could ultimately lead damaging the brain, eyes, heart and kidneys. But if it recognized by its early stages and monitor its course, we can give our children the right to a normal lifestyle without serious problems.
Blood pressure changes frequently and is influenced by body activity, emotional state, food regiment, taking medications. There are also deeper sources that it depends such as height, gender, age.
At the state of high blood pressure, the heart and arteries have a more substantial work to do as blood is pumped from the heart throughout the arteries with increased force. In order to complete that task, the heart is pumping harder to push away all that quantity of blood along with the arteries which are under increased tension because they are trying to carry this unusual for them flow of blood. If this problematic situation remains for a long period of time, the heart and arteries may no longer work as well as they should and eventually they will crush under this extreme workload. Along with the downfall of the heart and arteries, other organs which are collecting the blood such as the kidneys or the brain will follow as well.
Methods of treatment
If a basic illness causes hypertension, the treatment of that issue could possibly be more than enough for the blood pressure of your child be normal again. In the absence of illness, your physician might suggest to follow a program me that will consist of weight reduction with regulation of the food quality and quantity, greater consumption of fruits and veggies, reduced salt in your diet, additional physical exercise, and in most cases even exercises for relaxation . Obese kids with high blood pressure levels should additionally be encouraged not to start smoking. In the case that your child is already smoking, you need to immediately stop this habit which can lead to worse long-term heart problems and burden the already existing.
The truth is that staying fit is the vital thing to both weight and blood pressure levels management. The situation in which exercise would be not allowed would be only if there is a serious case of hypertension, and this should be resumed after control with medications and under the supervision of your doctor.