The new study, published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health has brought together data from around the world to understand how common high blood pressure is in children and teenagers. The research was led by Professor Igor Rudan during his sabbatical at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford.
The study was completed in collaboration with Dr Peige Song, now working at Zhejiang University in China, and colleagues from the University of Oxford including Professor Sir Aziz Sheikh, Head of NDPCHS, and Professor Kazem Rahimi from the Nuffield Department of Women’s and Reproductive Health. The research continues the work of the Global Health Epidemiology Research Group (GHERG) which Professor Rudan founded at the Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh in 2013 to support international research on major global child-health issues.
For the new research, the team analysed 96 studies that included more than 443,000 young people aged 0–19 years from many different countries, making this one of the largest and most detailed studies ever carried out on childhood blood pressure.
What the study found
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High blood pressure in children has become more common. It nearly doubled between 2000 and 2020, rising from just over 3% of children to more than 6%.
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Some children have ‘masked’ high blood pressure. About 9% of children and teenagers had normal readings in a clinic but higher levels when measured at home or with specialised monitors, meaning it can easily be overlooked.
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Weight plays a major role. Almost one in five children with obesity had high blood pressure, compared with fewer than one in forty children of normal weight.
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Blood pressure rises during early teenage years. Levels tend to peak around age 14, especially in boys.
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Many children show early warning signs. Around 8% had blood-pressure levels that suggest they may be at risk of developing hypertension in the future.
Why this matters
High blood pressure in childhood can continue into adulthood and increase the risk of heart and kidney problems later in life. The study shows that high blood pressure in young people is more common than many people realise, and that current approaches, often based only on clinic readings, may miss a sizeable number of cases.
The findings also highlight the importance of early detection, more consistent blood-pressure measurement standards, and preventive action, particularly in places where childhood obesity is increasing.
The study has attracted widespread international media coverage since its publication, reflecting global interest in children’s health and nutrition. Outlets reporting on the findings include CNN, Sky News, The Guardian, The Telegraph, Newsweek, NBC, ABC News, El País, The Hindu, and many others. The authors were also interviewed about the research by the BBC World Report, CBS and Bloomberg.
Much of the media attention has focused on the updated global figures and the insight the study provides into how children’s blood pressure is measured and interpreted across different countries.
As high blood pressure becomes more common at younger ages, the need for reliable detection, consistent measurement and effective prevention is increasingly clear. This study, completed through close collaboration between the universities of Oxford, Edinburgh and Zhejiang University, offers new insight into where efforts should be focused. By highlighting both the scale of the problem and opportunities for earlier identification, the research provides a foundation for improving children’s health worldwide and supporting action in clinical and public-health settings.