Hypertension or high blood pressure is usually associated with adults and older people. It causes no warning signs and can be quite serious, sometimes leading to kidney disease or stroke. Although it's rare for younger people to have hypertension, you should still be tested, advises KidsHealth, a website of the Nemours Foundation. Obtain several blood pressure readings taken over several days or weeks to confirm a diagnosis of hypertension.
Obesity
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30.5 percent of women between ages 20 to 39 were obese in 2005 to 2006. Obesity refers to having a body mass index of 30 or more; by comparison, a normal BMI is 18.5 to 24.9. Obesity and hypertension are intimately connected. In the Framingham Heart Study, which is a project conducted by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and Boston University, 28 percent of hypertension cases in women were found to be due to excess body weight. Weight loss and lifestyle changes, such as increased aerobic exercise and decreased salt consumption, can reduce blood pressure.
Diabetes
Obesity is a major risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. In this condition, your body doesn't produce enough insulin or it cannot effectively use the insulin it has. Documentation of a link between type 2 diabetes and hypertension in young adults dates back at least as far as 1957. A study published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" revealed that type 2 diabetes doubled the cases of hypertension in a study group made up primarily of people under age 30. Inflammation in diabetes causes plaque buildup in the arteries, which increases the pressure the blood exerts against the walls of these vessels.
Preeclampsia
About 6 to 8 percent of pregnant women develop this condition, which is also referred to as toxemia or pregnancy-induced hypertension. According to FamilyDoctor.org, a website of the American Academy of Family Physicians, it's more common during first pregnancies and can occur in expectant mothers of all ages, including teen mothers.
The first sign of preeclampsia is usually a big increase in your blood pressure. Make sure you go for regular check-ups during your pregnancy so your doctor can regularly check your pressure. Caught early, most preeclampsia complications can be prevented. Otherwise, it can prevent your baby from getting blood, from growing to a healthy weight and can cause other problems.
Oral Contraceptives
Birth control pills can contribute to high blood pressure in young women. If you're overweight, had preeclampsia during pregnancy or have a family history of the hypertension, you're more at risk. Having a mild kidney disease or smoking can also make you more likely to develop high blood pressure while taking oral contraceptives. Discuss other birth control options with your doctor if you have any of these risk factors.
References
- TeensHealth: Hypertension
- CDC: New CDC Study Finds No Increase in Obesity Among Adults; But Levels Still High
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: Calculate Your BMI
- Obesity Action Coalition: Hypertension and Obesity: How Weight-loss Affects Hypertension
- "Am Jnl of Clinical Nutrition"; Obesity & Hypertension Among Young Adults; Szent-Gyorgi; June 1957
- TheVisualMD: Atherosclerosis & Your Heart
