• Average blood pressure of American adolescents and teens (ages 8 to 17) is on the rise compared to 10 years ago – especially among black American and Mexican-American boys. Some researchers believe this is connected to the rising rate of overweight and obese adolescents and children.

  • Overweight children are at an increased risk of high blood pressure. In fact, more than ten percent of overweight children may also be hypertensive.

  • Regular drinking of high caffeine beverages, such as soda, may increase blood pressure levels in teens. Again, black Americans appear to be more susceptible to caffeine's effect on blood pressure.

  • Stress management techniques, such as meditation, may help teenagers with higher than normal readings lower their blood pressures.

  • Children who are breast-fed as infants may have lower blood pressure readings in adolescence. Also, the amount of salt that a baby consumes in infancy can affect blood pressure levels later in life.

  • Studies have shown that supplementing infant formula with polyunsaturated fat (e.g., omega-3 fatty acids) may help prevent high blood pressure from developing later on in childhood.

  • A high-salt diet may also impact blood pressure in children. Salt consumption can also affect kidney function later in life. Many prepackaged, processed and “fast” foods are high in fat and can contribute to obesity as well as having high sodium content.

  • Over time, some hypertensive children may develop an enlarged heart, dilated cardiomyopathy or enlarged kidney. In general, this is a sign that the enlarged organ is working too hard.

  • Another type of muscle thickening that may be caused by hypertension is called left ventricular hypertrophy (a thickened left ventricle). This condition is a known risk factor for future heart attack, heart failure or stroke. Although it may not cause any symptoms, it should be considered as a risk factor for future heart disease. Therefore, hypertensive children should have their left ventricles measured regularly usuing a echocardiogram.

  • The blood pressure of a young person can help in predicting that individual’s future risk potential for heart disease. Higher blood pressure when a person is young is associated with higher risk of developing elevated blood pressure and/or heart disease later in life.

  • Studies show that lead exposure (e.g., from lead-based paint, leaded gasoline) in childhood can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure (and as well as neurologic and developmental problems) later on and into adulthood.