Rising Rates of Hypertension in UK Adults and Children
In the UK, about one in three adults have hypertension, compared to nearly half of adults in the US. In children and adolescents, the rates of hypertension have risen fourfold since the 1990s, now affecting about 6%, largely linked to poor diet, physical inactivity, and overweight or obesity. Among very young children, hypertension is often caused by other medical conditions, referred to as secondary hypertension.
Blood pressure thresholds differ between the UK and US. For UK adults, healthy blood pressure ranges from 90/60 to 119/79 mmHg, elevated blood pressure is 120/80 to 139/89 mmHg, and high blood pressure is defined as 140/90 mmHg or higher. In the US, hypertension is classified as stage 1 for readings between 130/80 and 139/89 mmHg, and stage 2 for 140/90 mmHg or higher.
Hypertension is a serious health issue that can lead to aneurysms, heart failure, arterial and kidney damage potentially requiring dialysis or transplant, eye damage, vascular dementia, and major strokes. Risk factors include age, genetics, ethnicity (notably Black African, Black Caribbean, and South Asian backgrounds), and lifestyle factors such as a high salt diet, overweight or obesity, inactivity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and chronic stress.
Prevention and management focus on lifestyle changes, including a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products with minimal salt; limiting sugar-sweetened drinks and alcohol; avoiding smoking; maintaining a healthy weight; engaging in at least one hour of daily exercise; and minimizing sedentary time to less than two hours per day.
