Teens Who Lack Exercise at High Risk of High Blood Pressure, Hypertension Later in Life

A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine reveals that teenagers who are overweight or lack exercise are at higher risk for developing high blood pressure later in life, Healthday reports.

Obesity among teens and children have steadily grown over the years, making it a pressing health issue that authorities and the government try to address. According to the CDC, childhood obesity has grown by more than 50% among kids and even quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years. From 7% obese children aged six to eleven in 1980, the rate has gone up to 18% in 2012, and from 5% of teens aged 12 to 19, the rate has risen to 21%. 

For the study, researchers led by Dr. Casey Crump analyzed over 1.5 million Swedish men over a course of 26 years. These participants enlisted in the military sometime between 1969 and 1997. Over the course of 26 years, researchers found that 6% of these men were diagnosed with high blood pressure, which was closely linked to weight and fitness when the men were only 18 years of age. Men who had high BMI's or were obese at age 18 were found to have 50% more risk for high blood pressure compared to their counterparts whose weight fell in the normal parameters.

Researchers also found that men who were overweight and not fit were 3.5 times more at risk for developing high blood pressure compared to their counterparts who had normal weight and were fit.

"We know from many studies, including ones that my colleagues and I have published, that for major cardiovascular disease events and overall survival, fitness is even more important than fatness for predicting someone's risk," Dr. Carl "Chip" Lavie, who co-wrote an editorial published with the study, commented, as per U.S. News & World Report. "Some vascular changes already may be starting from the high BMI and/or low fitness very early in life—which could increase the long-term risk of vascular disease."

Researchers have also noted, however, that thin or normal weight children just aren't safe from the risk of hypertension. Medical Daily reports that children who may have normal weight but are not active or have low aerobic capacity can also be at risk for hypertension or high blood pressure later in life. This highlights the importance of proper exercise at a young age.

"[W]e agree...that efforts to prevent hypertension need to be started early by preventing weight gain and improving levels of cardiorespiratory fitness in children and adolescents," Dr. Carl Lavie of the Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans wrote in the commentary about the new study. "Improving levels of physical activity would go a long way to accomplish these goals."