Hypertension in children has significantly increased over the last two decades.
Modern way of life, body weight, lack of exercise, sedentary lifestyle, and the time dedicated to watching television or in front of a computer among children are associated with the raise of blood pressure. Other significant factors that affect children's blood pressure is the emotional state (emotions like fear, anger etc.) and stress. Several studies have revealed that physical and emotional stress may increase blood pressure in children. Increased blood pressure in combination with chronic stress may lead to headaches, fatigue, impaired growth, blurred vision, nose bleeding etc.
The participants of the programs will gain the following benefits:
- Stress/Anxiety control
- Decreased blood pressure
- Improvement of quality of life
- Mood improvement
- Limiting of aggressive behavior
- Improved self-esteem
- Adoption of healthy habits (diet, exercise, daily routine, sleep etc.)
Litwin M., Michałkiewicz J., Gackowska L. (2013). Primary hypertension in children and adolescents is an immuno-metabolic disease with hemodynamic consequences. Curr Hypertens Rep. 15(4):331-9.
Moyer V.A., U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. (2013). Screening for primary hypertension in children and adolescents: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Pediatrics. 132(5):907-14.
Truong U., Fonseca B., Dunning J., Burgett S., Lanning C., Ivy D.D., Shandas R., Hunter K., Barker A.J. (2013). Wall shear stress measured by phase contrast cardiovascular magnetic resonance in children and adolescents with pulmonary arterial hypertension. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 13(15):81.
Ostrow V., Wu S., Aguilar A., Bonner R. J., Suarez E., De Luca F. (2011). Association between oxidative stress and masked hypertension in a multi-ethnic population of obese children and adolescents. J Pediatr. 158(4):628-633.