The rate of kids and teens with high blood pressure worldwide nearly doubled over the past two decades, according to a startling new report. In 2020, more than 6% of children and adolescents under 19 had high blood pressure, up from around 3% in 2000, researchers reported Nov. 12 in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. Obesity is a major driver of this increase, the study found. About 19% of kids and teens with obesity have high blood pressure, versus fewer than 3% of those with healthy weight. “The nearly twofold increase in childhood high blood pressure over 20 years should raise alarm bells for health care providers and caregivers,” senior researcher Dr. Igor Rudan said in a news release. He’s director of the Center for Global Health Research at the University of Edinburgh’s Usher Institute in Scotland. Young people with high blood pressure have a higher risk of heart and kidney problems throughout their lives, researchers said in background notes. “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 the risks of additional health complications in the future,” Rudan said. For the study, researchers pooled data from 96 previous studies, including 83 with in-office blood pressure test results for nearly 444,000 kids and teens. Results…  read on >  read on >

The rate of kids and teens with high blood pressure worldwide nearly doubled over the past two decades, according to a startling new report. In 2020, more than 6% of children and adolescents under 19 had high blood pressure, up from around 3% in 2000, researchers reported Nov. 12 in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. Obesity is a major driver of this increase, the study found. About 19% of kids and teens with obesity have high blood pressure, versus fewer than 3% of those with healthy weight. “The nearly twofold increase in childhood high blood pressure over 20 years should raise alarm bells for health care providers and caregivers,” senior researcher Dr. Igor Rudan said in a news release. He’s director of the Center for Global Health Research at the University of Edinburgh’s Usher Institute in Scotland. Young people with high blood pressure have a higher risk of heart and kidney problems throughout their lives, researchers said in background notes. “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 the risks of additional health complications in the future,” Rudan said. For the study, researchers pooled data from 96 previous studies, including 83 with in-office blood pressure test results for nearly 444,000 kids and teens. Results…  read on >  read on >

Officials say the warnings were based on outdated 2002 study data involving older patients and old drug formulas  read on >

They’re tasty, affordable and satisfy fast — ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) dominate the American diet, accounting for more than half of the calories consumed by the average adult, and even more for children. These foods are a growing public health concern and federal health officials are working to remove some from food assistance programs. But experts warn that the term covers more than just what is typically considered “junk food.” Roughly 75% of the U.S. food supply is considered ultra-processed, according to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. A cart filled with whole grain bread, breakfast cereal and strawberry yogurt is as likely to contain UPFs as a cart loaded with instant ramen and soda. What’s ‘Ultra-Processed?’ UPFs contain at least one ingredient not typically found in kitchen cabinets, such as emulsifiers, artificial colors and high fructose corn syrup. Examples include hot dogs, sliced bread, energy drinks, cookies, ready-to-eat meals or even instant oatmeal. They undergo machine and industrial processing and are no longer a whole, natural food, like fruits, vegetables, milk or fish. Less or minimally processed foods might simply involve drying, pickling or adding salt (like canned fish or cheese). Julia Wolfson, an associate professor of International Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said UPFs are created to appeal to consumers’ instincts. “Many of these ultra-processed foods are intentionally designed…  read on >  read on >

They’re tasty, affordable and satisfy fast — ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) dominate the American diet, accounting for more than half of the calories consumed by the average adult, and even more for children. These foods are a growing public health concern and federal health officials are working to remove some from food assistance programs. But experts warn that the term covers more than just what is typically considered “junk food.” Roughly 75% of the U.S. food supply is considered ultra-processed, according to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. A cart filled with whole grain bread, breakfast cereal and strawberry yogurt is as likely to contain UPFs as a cart loaded with instant ramen and soda. What’s ‘Ultra-Processed?’ UPFs contain at least one ingredient not typically found in kitchen cabinets, such as emulsifiers, artificial colors and high fructose corn syrup. Examples include hot dogs, sliced bread, energy drinks, cookies, ready-to-eat meals or even instant oatmeal. They undergo machine and industrial processing and are no longer a whole, natural food, like fruits, vegetables, milk or fish. Less or minimally processed foods might simply involve drying, pickling or adding salt (like canned fish or cheese). Julia Wolfson, an associate professor of International Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said UPFs are created to appeal to consumers’ instincts. “Many of these ultra-processed foods are intentionally designed…  read on >  read on >