Hypertension is no longer a disease of adults only. More and more children are being diagnosed with this "silent killer." Prevention is the best way to deal with this health problem. The beneficial effects of exercise, weight control, tobacco avoidance are well known. Now there is another step to add to the list ‚ caffeine avoidance.
Caffeine is the most commonly consumed stimulant. It's found in a wide variety of drinks and foods. It's also found in many over-the-counter medicines.
The more caffeine adolescents consume, the higher their systolic blood pressure. (Systolic pressure is top number in a blood pressure reading, the diastolic is the bottom number.) For adolescents consuming over 100 milligrams of caffeine per day, their systolic blood pressures were, on average, seven points higher than the readings of adolescents who consume 0-50 milligrams per day. There was no significant effect on the diastolic blood pressure.
For adolescents, especially African American adolescents, caffeine consumption may have a significant effect on their blood pressure and increase their risk of becoming adults with high blood pressure.
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