Arterial stiffness in adolescence may potentially cause hypertension and obesity in young adulthood

Date:
November 17, 2021
Source:
University of Eastern Finland
Summary:
Arterial stiffness is a novel risk factor to be targeted for
preventing and treating hypertension and obesity from a young age,
a new study suggests.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Arterial stiffness is a novel risk factor to be targeted for preventing
and treating hypertension and obesity from a young age, a new study
published in Hypertension suggests.


========================================================================== Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland, the University of
Exeter, and the University of Bristol carried out the study using data
from one of the world's most extensive ongoing prospective birth cohort
studies -- the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC).

Globally, hypertension and obesity are major preventable risk factors
for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and death. However, several
efforts to decrease the incidence and prevalence of hypertension and
obesity have yielded minimal effects. Hence, understanding the natural development and pathogenesis of hypertension and obesity is important to decreasing these risks. In the newly published study, the researchers
examined whether atherosclerotic traits such as arterial stiffness
temporally precede the development of hypertension and obesity. This is
the first time over 3800 adolescents, aged 17 years were followed up for
seven years. The researchers employed several statistical approaches to untangle potential causal associations.

The researchers found that higher arterial stiffness during adolescence increased the risk of systolic hypertension by 20 percent and diastolic hypertension by two-fold, seven years later. Moreover, participants
were categorised into four equal groups according to their level of
arterial stiffness. Adolescents whose arterial stiffness levels were in
the highest quartile both at 17 years of age and 24 years of age had a
systolic blood pressure increase of 4 mmHg, and their diastolic blood
pressure increased by 3 mmHg during the seven-year observation period. Of
note, mild elevations in systolic and diastolic blood pressure were also observed in adolescents with mildly increased arterial stiffness but
within normal limits. However, the change in blood pressure in the "mild"
group was half that of the change in the "high" group. These results were similar in both males and females, despite controlling for important
risk factors such as smoking, physical activity, lipid and glucose,
body fat, heart rate, family history of cardiovascular diseases, etc.

Previous studies have focused on the adverse effect of obesity on the
heart and blood vessels. However, the present study found that higher
arterial stiffness at age 17 years increased the risk of abdominal obesity
and whole body obesity by 20 percent at age 24 years. The findings reveal
a possible two-way direction between unhealthy arteries and obesity,
although the evidence was stronger for obesity leading to unhealthy
arteries, and not vice versa.

A recent American Heart Association scientific statement notes that
"lifestyle modification, including diet, reduced sedentariness,
and increased physical activity, is usually recommended for patients
with obesity; however, the long- term success of these strategies for
reducing adiposity, maintaining weight loss, and reducing blood pressure
has been limited." It has also been established that a 5 mmHg rise in
blood pressure over five years increases the risk of death in the adult population by 16 percent.

"Therefore, our novel findings are significant clinically and for
population health, in that future hypertension and obesity prevention
and treatment strategies may now consider reducing arterial stiffness, particularly from adolescence," says Andrew Agbaje, a physician and
clinical epidemiologist at the University of Eastern Finland.

This research was supported in part by research grants from Jenny and
Antti Wihuri Foundation, the Finnish Cultural Foundation Central Fund,
the Finnish Cultural Foundation North Savo Regional Fund, and the
Doctoral Programme of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences,
University of Eastern Finland.

The UK Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust, and the University of
Bristol provided core support for theALSPAC study.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Eastern_Finland. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Andrew O. Agbaje, Alan R. Barker, Tomi-Pekka Tuomainen. Effects of
Arterial Stiffness and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness
Progression on the Risk of Overweight/Obesity and Elevated Blood
Pressure/Hypertension: a Cross-Lagged Cohort Study. Hypertension,
2021; DOI: 10.1161/ HYPERTENSIONAHA.121.18449 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211117100058.htm

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