Daijiworld Media Network- Baltimore

Baltimore, Sep 10: High blood pressure is often seen as a condition of adulthood, but a groundbreaking study has revealed its dangerous impact from early childhood. Research presented at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2025 in Baltimore and published in JAMA shows that children as young as seven with elevated blood pressure face up to a 50% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by midlife.

The large-scale study analysed health records of over 38,000 children enrolled in the Collaborative Perinatal Project (1959–65) and tracked their health outcomes through the National Death Index until 2016. By that time, participants had reached an average age of 54. Out of 38,252 individuals, 2,837 had died, including 504 deaths from cardiovascular causes such as heart attacks and strokes.

The findings showed a direct link:

• Children with blood pressure in the 90th–94th percentile faced a 40% higher risk of cardiovascular death.

• Those at the 95th percentile or above faced a 50% higher risk.

• Even slight increases in blood pressure above average added 13% to 18% higher risk later in life.

A sibling analysis reinforced the results, showing that within the same family environment, the child with higher blood pressure at age seven faced a significantly greater risk of early heart disease.

Lead researcher Dr Alexa Freedman of Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine warned:

“We were surprised to find that high blood pressure in childhood was linked to serious health conditions many years later. Hypertension in childhood may increase death risk by 40% to 50% across five decades of life.”

Experts stressed the urgent need for regular screenings. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends annual blood pressure checks for children from the age of three, but many families and clinics overlook this. Since children rarely show symptoms, doctors say early detection and lifestyle changes—like healthy diets, reduced salt intake, regular exercise, better sleep, and stress control—are critical.

While researchers acknowledged certain limitations, including single-time BP measurement at age seven and a less diverse study population, the decades-long follow-up and scale of the study make its findings highly credible.

This research shifts the focus of heart health prevention, showing that the seeds of cardiovascular disease may be sown far earlier than previously believed. As Dr Freedman summed up:
“Even in childhood, blood pressure numbers matter. It is crucial for parents and doctors to take these readings seriously.”