A Weighty Issue
Kids' Healthy Habits Can Kick High Blood Pressure
Parents see it every time they swing by their child’s school or the mall – the rise in childhood obesity. But what’s unseen may be the real risk: high blood pressure.
As many as 4 percent of American children may have hypertension: a blood pressure level higher than 95 percent of their peers of the same height, sex and age. New studies indicate hypertension can harm not only the arteries, heart, kidneys and eyes, but also cognitive skills such as memory and problem-solving.
“About a third of the rise in childhood hypertension relates to the rising prevalence in obesity in America,” says Elaine Urbina, MD, director of preventive cardiology at Cincinnati Children’s, whose research focuses on childhood obesity.
Although genetics can be a factor, most of what puts a child at risk for hypertension includes sedentary behavior and a poor diet – which is modifiable, she says.
Changing Hearts and Minds
That is the goal of preventive cardiology, part of the approach to pediatric heart care in the Heart Institute at Cincinnati Children’s. The Heart Institute is one of only a handful of centers nationwide offering a dedicated clinic for childhood hypertension.
Specialists in exercise, nutrition, behavioral psychology and preventive cardiology work with young patients to improve their diets, exercise patterns and behavior.
Getting the Message Out
A bigger goal is to put reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease on the radar for families. To that end, the Heart Institute is taking its message to the community, with six Centers for Better Health and Nutrition opening by next year around Greater Cincinnati.
“We will partner with sports medicine and pulmonary medicine to provide broad care for these patients,” says Jeffrey Towbin, MD,
co-director of the Heart Institute.
“We are approaching hypertension in two arenas,” he says. “One is Dr. Urbina’s preventive care and research, and one is
the Centers for Better Health and Nutrition. No other pediatric cardiac program has this.”
Urbina is in the investigative forefront of three key treatment areas for hypertension: diet, exercise and medication. She and
other researchers are coming up with effective ways to combat childhood obesity and keep kids' blood pressure in check.
Find out more about the effort to reduce the obesity trend.
