Two in every 10 schoolchildren suffer from hypertension


Two of every 10 schoolchildren suffer from hypertension, revealed a survey conducted in Haryana, Goa, Gujarat and Manipur. 

The study shows hypertension in children is mild in most cases and can be corrected with lifestyle modification like regular exercise, reduced intake of salty food items and weight correction in case of obese kids. However, without intervention, the condition may worsen with age and cause diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

The survey was conducted among 14,957 students of primary and senior secondary schools in the four states. Blood pressure levels of 120/80, 125/85 and 135/90 mm of mercury were taken, respectively, as cut off for children of ages 5,10 and 15 — as suggested in another survey published in the journal Paediatrics by AIIMS in 2016.

Dr Anita Saxena, corresponding author of the study published recently in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, said 23% children had very high blood pressure. The study was conducted by AIIMS, Goa Medical College, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Manipur, Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and University of Glasgow, UK. 

High blood pressure was most common among students in Manipur (29%) followed by Haryana (26.5%), Gujarat (15%) and Goa (10%). The variation in prevalence in different geographical locations could be due to the local diet, especially salt intake, as well as other environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and exercise habit, the authors said......Read more

 

Source web page: Times of India


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