AP22991

Prompt Science Summary

According to a study conducted by the American Heart Association (AHA), excess weight in childhood increases the risk of high blood pressure as an adult. Researchers from the AHA tracked the growth and blood pressure of 1,117 healthy adolescents from Indianapolis for 27 years and the findings were very informative (American Heart Association). Evidence indicated that six percent of normal weight children had high blood pressure (HBP) as adults, fourteen percent of overweight children had HBP as adults and 26 percent of obese children had HBP as adults (American Heart Association). These findings are rather astounding considering during early childhood 68 percent of these children were of normal weight, 16 percent overweight, and 16 percent were obese. Both overweight and obesity are determined by the Body Mass Index (BMI) (Boyd, 220). BMI-for-age is compared to the norms for his or her group and sex (Boyd, 219), and unfortunately these numbers have increased dramatically in the United States in the past 50 years. Nevertheless, we can conclude that by identifying children that are higher risks and intervening during childhood, we can help decrease HBP in adolescents and seemingly lower the rate of heart disease in the future for adults.

References:

American Heart Association. "Childhood obesity may quadruple high blood pressure risk in adulthood." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 12 September 2013

Boyd, Denise Roberts., and Helen L. Bee. //Lifespan Development//. Sixth ed. Boston: Pearson Allyn & Bacon, 2012. Print.

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