Even modest elevation of body weight associated with hypertension risk in young: JAMA

Considering this background, researchers examined this association and gave the following conclusion. The study findings are:

• More than 800 000 youths aged 3-17 years followed up for five years were assessed in the study.
• There is a plateau in the association between weight gain and hypertension risk.
• On Comparison with a baseline BMI for age in the 40th to 59th percentiles, aHR for hypertension was 1.26 between the 60th and 84th percentiles (If they keep their BMI appropriate for their age).
• With every 1-unit annual increase (distance to the median BMI for age), there was an increase in aHR by 1.04.
• The aHR was 4.94 with a baseline BMI for age in the 97th percentile or higher who maintained body weight.
• Weight gain increases the risk.
• The risk associated with a weight change was higher in those with low to high normal weight and overweight than in those with severe obesity.

Concluding further, they wrote a high normal body weight above the 60th percentile of BMI for age increased hypertension risk.

The study's strengths included EHR data, follow-up duration, systematic screening, information available for potential key confounders and covariates, and cohort study design.

The Limitations were the possibility of residual confounding and selection bias.

Further reading

Koebnick C et al. Association of High Normal Body Weight in Youths With Risk of Hypertension. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.1987