High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Controllable Risk Factors: Excess Weight

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Controllable Risk Factors: Excess Weight This eight-part series continues with the controllable risk factor of high blood pressure: excessive weight.

Excessive weight

Excessive weight puts added strain on the heart and other organs because they have to work harder. The heart is unnecessarily stressed with excessive weight to circulate blood throughout the entire body. This is an important fact: five miles of blood vessels is needed to maintain each pound of fat (1). Excessive weight is a controllable risk factor for high blood pressure not just for adults, but also for children.

Adults with excessive weight

About 72 million adults live with high blood pressure in the United States (2). Because excessive weight causes high blood pressure, it's important for adults to learn healthy eating habits as early as possible.

Adults with excessive weight should:

1. Check their BMI (body mass index). If the BMI is 25-29, it defines overweight. If the BMI is 30 or higher, it defines obesity (3).
2. Be aware that a waist measurement of 40 inches or less for men is recommended and a waist measurement of 35 inches or less for women is recommended (3).
3. Talk with a medical professional to find your ideal weight.
4. Make necessary menu changes that will help get rid of the excess weight. Find new recipes or create your own.
5. Adopt physical activities that will help reach your ideal weight as you have fun.
6. Eliminate smoking and alcohol to promote optimal health.

Children with excessive weight

About five of every hundred children live with high blood pressure in the United States (4). It's estimated one million children have undiagnosed high blood pressure in the United States (5).

Here are some suggestions for parents seeking advice in this area:

1. Reduce or remove salt in your child's menu. This one simple lifestyle modification will help reverse high blood pressure. Read food labels before you purchase them. Avoid feeding your children those tempting lunch foods that are full of salt.
2. Encourage your child to get physically active. Don't call it exercise - call it fun! Play games and sports with your child. Don't expect them to jump in front of an exercise video and be motivated to lose weight. Disguise health with fun.
3. Help your child loose unhealthy pounds by setting an example. Children usually do what they see, not what they're told.
4. Be informed. Remember when your child's pediatrician mentioned the percentile your child is at? If your child is in the 95% for her age and sex, she is considered overweight (6).

Overweight children are more susceptible to high blood pressure and other health concerns. Overweight children usually learn lifestyle practices from their parents. That's why it's so important for parents to teach their children how to eat a proper diet and participate in physical activities on a regular basis. Make your healthy resolutions with your children and enjoy health together. Don't concentrate on the destination so much that you forget to enjoy the journey . . . together. (1) http://www.help-your-body-to-heal.com/lower-your-blood-pressure.html (2) http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=2123 (3) http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-blood-pressure/HI00027 (4) http://www.aap.org/publiced/BK0_HighBloodPressure.htm (5) http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2007/08/how-real-is-crisis-of-undiagnosed-high.html (6) http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/general/body/overweight_obesity.html