BMJ  2004;329 (17 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7458.0-d

Blood pressure of Irish teenagers has fallen

The blood pressure of adolescents in Northern Ireland decreased between 1990 and 2000. Analysing data from the Young Hearts studies, Watkins and colleagues (p 139) found that blood pressures in 12 year olds and 15 year olds decreased 7.7-11.0 mm Hg. These findings were not explained by changes in body composition or by birth weight. If the decrease is sustained in adulthood, say the authors, the public health benefits are likely to be considerable.

Credit: MARTINE FRANCK/MAGNUM PHOTOS

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Relevant Article

Trends in blood pressure over 10 years in adolescents: analyses of cross sectional surveys in the Northern Ireland Young Hearts project

David Watkins, Peter McCarron, Liam Murray, Gordon Cran, Colin Boreham, Paula Robson, Claire McGartland, George Davey Smith, and Maurice Savage
BMJ 2004 329: 139. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]