Study warns childhood high blood pressure linked to adult heart disease
A recent study presented at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2025 in Baltimore and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has revealed that elevated blood pressure in children as young as seven can significantly increase the risk of premature cardiovascular death, WAM reports.
Traditionally considered a health issue that emerges in adulthood, high blood pressure may have consequences that begin decades earlier. Researchers found that even modestly higher readings in childhood could translate into a 40 to 50 percent greater risk of dying from heart disease by midlife.
Between 1959 and 1965, more than 38,000 children were enrolled at 12 sites across the United States. At the age of seven, their blood pressure levels were measured and adjusted for age, sex and height, in line with clinical guidelines established by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
To assess long-term effects, researchers linked this childhood data to the National Death Index, tracking survival and causes of death through 2016. By that time, participants had reached an average age of 54. Out of 38,252 participants, 2,837 had died, including 504 deaths attributed directly to cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks or strokes.
The study highlights the importance of regular screening in children and promoting heart-healthy habits early in life, including balanced diets, regular physical activity, reduced sodium intake, improved sleep, and stress management, to mitigate cardiovascular risk later in life.
Earlier, it was reported that an Indian teenager developed the app that identifies heart disease in seconds.