Lowering Blood Pressure Through Exercise

Pediatricians at The Children’s Hospital are advocating exercise as a first step toward controlling high blood pressure in children.

With children increasingly becoming overweight, their risk for medical complications — once only seen in adults — also increases. One example is high blood pressure. While physicians have known for years that elevated blood pressure can negatively impact adults’ cardiovascular health, new research has shown that high blood pressure in children can elevate their long-term risk for heart attack and stroke as well.

Take control

Children who participate in daily physical activity and eat a healthful diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in fat and sugar are much less likely to develop high blood pressure. Set the stage for a lifetime of good health by establishing healthy activity patterns for your child now.

“Parents should look at increasing their child’s activity with a two-tiered approach,” said Stephen Daniels, MD, pediatrician-in-chief at Children’s and professor of pediatrics and preventive medicine at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. “First, the combined sedentary time in front of a television, computer or video game should be limited to no more than two hours each day. Next, parents should encourage their children to be active for at least 60 minutes most days of the week.”

The Children’s Hospital offers a variety of weight-management programs. Ask your child’s physician for a referral.