London: The number of children and adolescents living with high blood pressure has nearly doubled between 2000 and 2020 — rising from about 3% to over 6% — according to a major global study. The findings point to an alarming public health trend that experts warn could increase the risk of heart and kidney disease later in life.
Published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, the research analysed data from 96 large studies across 21 countries, involving more than 443,000 young people. It found that approximately 114 million children under the age of 19 now suffer from hypertension, with obesity identified as a key driver. Nearly one in five children with obesity were found to have high blood pressure — almost eight times higher than those of a healthy weight.
“The nearly twofold increase in childhood high blood pressure over 20 years should raise alarm bells for healthcare providers and caregivers,” said Professor Igor Rudan, Director of the Centre for Global Health Research at the University of Edinburgh, who co-authored the study. “But the good news is that we can take steps now, such as improving screening and prevention efforts, to help control high blood pressure in children and reduce future health risks.”
The analysis also revealed that around 9% of children may have “masked hypertension,” where elevated blood pressure is not detected during regular checkups but appears in out-of-office tests. Another 8% of children are in the prehypertensive stage — an early warning sign that can progress to full hypertension if untreated.
Study author Dr Peige Song of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, China, noted that relying solely on in-office blood pressure readings may underestimate or misclassify many cases. “Early detection and improved access to prevention and treatment options are more critical than ever,” Dr Song said.
The authors acknowledged some limitations in their findings, citing differences in how blood pressure was measured across studies, as well as variations in healthcare systems and data availability. Many of the studies analysed came from low- and middle-income countries, which may affect global comparability. They also noted that access to advanced monitoring tools remains limited in several regions, which could restrict widespread diagnosis and intervention.
Experts warn that addressing childhood hypertension early is vital to prevent long-term cardiovascular complications. In a commentary linked to the study, Dr Rahul Chanchlani of McMaster University, Canada, stressed that “cardiovascular risk begins not in middle age, but in childhood,” urging coordinated global efforts to detect and treat hypertension among the young.
