The next time you hear folks talking about their blood pressure,
take a look. They may be kids. Yes, children can have high blood
pressure, and experts say the number of kids with the problem is
on the rise. "We estimate about 10 percent of children between 2
and 18 have high blood pressure," says pediatric heart
specialist Reginald Washington, M.D., co-chair of the American
Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Obesity. "A lot of these
kids have not even been diagnosed." High blood pressure has
joined type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol on a list of
ailments that once struck only adults but now afflict children.
"We believe we'll see heart disease and stroke at earlier ages
if we can't get this under control," Dr. Washington warns. The
increase in children with high blood pressure is directly tied
to lifestyle, though genetics plays a role. Watch children for
these risk factors: Overweight or obese Poor nutrition, or a
diet of too much high-fat or high-sodium food with little
nutritional value Lack of physica