Hypertension affects 28% of Brazilian children and adolescents

A study by the Brazilian Society of Cardiology (SBC) reveals that 28.3% of children and adolescents up to age 18 in Brazil suffer from hypertension, with an additional 11.6% classified as pre-hypertensive. The research, part of the ‘Brasil Coração Saudável’ project, surveyed 6,092 students across 38 schools in Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul, and São Paulo.

The study highlights a strong correlation between weight and blood pressure. Approximately one in three participants is overweight (19.5%) or obese (13.6%). Among those with obesity, 48.4% have hypertension, a figure that rises to 60.5% for obese individuals aged 15 to 18. Hypertension was most frequent in boys under 7 years old (39.1%) and boys aged 15 to 18 (40.7%).

Cardiologist Álvaro Avezum, the project coordinator, attributes these rising cardiovascular risks to a combination of inadequate nutrition, physical inactivity, and increased stress. The data also shows significant sedentary behavior: 59% of participants spend more than three hours daily in front of screens, primarily mobile phones and televisions, while 66% engage in only one to two hours of physical activity per week.