10% of children have high blood pressure issues

The preliminary findings of a study examining the wellbeing, diet, and exercise levels of children has found that one in 10 has high blood pressure.

Early indications from the Cork Children’s Lifestyle Study are that overweight or obese children are particularly susceptible — twice as many overweight/obese children had high blood pressure compared to their normal-weight peers.

Dr Janas Harrington, of the department of epidemiology and public health at University College Cork, one of the leading researchers behind the study, said high blood pressure was a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease in adults and children with high blood pressure were also placed at higher risk.

“From what we have seen so far, those with elevated blood pressure did tend to be children who are overweight or obese,” said Dr Harrington.

“But it is linked to inactivity as well, and to diet.”

The study found more than half the children (55%) reported adding salt to food most days or every day, despite public health messages linking high blood pressure and high salt intake.

“As a nation, we are eating far too much salt anyway,” said Dr Harrington.

“Children taking part in the study reported adding extra salt to foods already containing salt such as burgers, sausages and gravy mix. Not everyone is abiding by the [public health] messages. We need to encourage healthier eating.”

She said some people are unaware food and drinks containing hidden salts: “For example, high sugar drinks contain sodium as well. They are very high in calories, but the calories are empty, in other words, they contain no nutritional value.”

Dr Harrington said those in public health were in favour of a sugar tax to help reduce consumption of high sugar drinks and foods.

The study is also indicating poor activity levels in many youngsters, particularly girls. Parents reported that while 75% of boys completed at least 20 minutes of hard exercise for at least three days in the previous week, just over half of the girls matched this.

While six out of 10 boys reported being active during lunch break at school, fewer than four in 10 girls did.

“We need to encourage more participation in sports, but not just that, we need to also encourage children to walk more, to cycle more, to reduce their sedentary lifestyles — less TV, less computers, and more activities across the board,” said Dr Harrington.

The study, which is entering its second phase, is being extended from 140 to 1,000 children in Cork City and Mitchelstown, expanding from five schools to 23. Currently third and fourth-class pupils at Greenmount National School; St Finbarr’s NS, Gillabbey St; Glasheen Boys NS; St Joseph’s Boys NS on the Mardyke and Togher Girls NS are taking part.

Dr Harrington said the study had received great support from the participating schools, parents and children.

“In particular the children have enjoyed wearing the accelerometers [a device which measures the frequency and intensity of physical activity]”.

The study is funded by the National Children’s Research Centre, Crumlin, and is led by Prof Ivan Perry and Dr Harrington.