The growing obesity epidemic in the United States is leasing out several diseases amongst children and adolescents,which increasingly go undiagnosed - especially and importantly the soaring high blood pressure among obese juveniles.
Contrary to what is popularly thought, obesity is not just a social or cosmetic problem! It is rather an illness with a high risk factor for further illnesses like osteoarthritis, esophagus cancer and even an overall decrease in physical and social functioning.
To add on to these fears, the silent development of high blood pressure, and living with it unaware, is dangerous, which can eventually, quietly damage the body organs - especially the kidneys.
Do you know, high blood pressure or hypertension, often also signals another disease in children?
Yes, endocrine disorders kidney or heart disease are the much followed diseases of uncontrolled high blood pressure.
As a solution the problem needs to be better diagnosed. And for that, up-gradation of ‘electronic medical recordkeeping’ is growing importance, which could eventually compare the findings of earlier checkups.
What is hindering the diagnosis process in obese juveniles is the difficulty in confirming his hypertension — as it varies by sex, height as well as weight.
Since, the prevalence of ‘pediatric weight problems’ is soaring, the elevated blood pressure in children meeting the criteria of both pre-hypertension or hypertension need to be identified on time.
