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Environments affect blood pressure in toddlers: The Japan Environment and Children's Study
Keita Kanamori1,2, Tomohisa Suzuki3, Nozomi Tatsuta4,5
1Department of Development and Environmental Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan. kanamori.keita.q5@dc.tohoku.ac.jp.
Insights
Parental smoking is a key risk factor for toddler hypertension, impacting blood pressure even in early childhood. Avoiding secondhand smoke exposure from infancy is crucial for preventing future health issues like hypertension.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Public Health
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Toddler hypertension presents a growing concern for long-term health.
- Identifying early-life risk factors is essential for preventative strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the risk factors associated with hypertension in toddlers.
- To examine the influence of parental and environmental factors on early childhood blood pressure.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study national birth cohort.
- Measured children's blood pressure (BP) at 2 and 4 years of age.
- Collected parental and child background information via questionnaires.
Main Results:
- Parental smoking was significantly associated with elevated BP at both 2 and 4 years.
- Obesity, gestational hypertension, and lower parental education correlated with higher BP at 4 years.
- The hypertensive group showed a higher prevalence of obesity, with maternal lower education and parental smoking being contributing factors.
Conclusions:
- Parental smoking demonstrates a significant impact on toddler blood pressure, even in early infancy.
- Early avoidance of secondhand smoke is critical for preventing hypertension and related lifestyle diseases.
- Public health initiatives should focus on parental smoking cessation and education to mitigate risks.
Background:
The primary objective of this study was to examine risk factors for toddler's hypertension.
Methods:
Subjects of this study were children and parents participating in a national birth cohort study in Japan, the Japan Environment and Children's Study. We measured the children's blood pressure (BP) at 2 and 4 years old. We obtained children's and parents' backgrounds from the questionnaire. We investigated the factors that affect BP elevation.
Results:
Within 4988 participants, the mean systolic BP at 2 years old was 91.2 mmHg for boys and 90.0 mmHg for girls. The mean systolic BP at 4 years old was 93.8 mmHg for boys and 93.1 mmHg for girls. Parental smoking was associated with elevated values of BP at 2 and 4 years old. Obesity, gestational hypertension, and parental lower education were associated with elevated values of BP at 4 years old. Hypertensive group had a significantly higher obesity rate. The mother's lower education and parental smoking were involved in hypertensive groups.
Conclusion:
Parental smoking had a significant effect on BP even in early toddlers. We emphasize the importance of avoiding second-hand smoking from early infancy to prevent future lifestyle-related illnesses including hypertension.
Impact:
The mean systolic BP at 2 years old was 91.2 mmHg for boys and 90.0 mmHg for girls. The mean systolic BP at 4 years old was 93.8 mmHg for boys and 93.1 mmHg for girls. Obesity, parental smoking, and lower education were associated with hypertension at 4 years old. Parental smoking was associated with hypertension at 2 and 4 years old. We emphasize the importance of avoiding second-hand smoking from early infancy.
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