Young adults are the biggest culprits
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A new study found that many young Americans are unaware that they have high blood pressure.
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Researchers tracked health outcomes in over 15,000 adults, the majority of whom were in middle age and presented with at least one major health risk factor, to determine these results.
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The team hopes that these findings emphasize the importance of regular medical check-ups to ensure that young people are staying on top of their heart health.
A new study conducted by researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) found that many Americans arent aware if they have serious health conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes.
Young adults were the most likely to not realize that they had high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol, Rishi Wadhera, M.D., M.P.P., M.Phil, said in a news release.
Its especially concerning that one in three young adults were unaware of their high blood pressure, two in five didnt know they had diabetes, and one in four were unaware of having high cholesterol. Thats a major public health issue.
Knowing the numbers
The researchers analyzed data from over 15,000 adults enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The goal was to assess the proportion of adults unaware of their high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol, and then compare how that proportion may have changed over the course of a decade.
The majority of the study participants were middle aged when the study began, and many had at least one major risk factor for one of the conditions involved in the study.
The NHANES study included both participant surveys and medical exam data, giving the researchers several ways to analyze the results.
A lack of awareness
Ultimately, the researchers found that many people were unaware that they had these serious health conditions particularly high blood pressure. The study found that the number of participants who were unaware of their high blood pressure increased significantly over the course of the study.
The biggest culprit: adults between the ages of 20 and 44. On top of that, more women were unaware of their high blood pressure in this group than men.
Awareness may have worsened in these populations due to barriers to accessing primary care and preventive services, Daniel Johnson, lead author of the study and research fellow at the Smith Center, said in a news release.
Young adults, in particular, may underestimate the future risk of cardiovascular disease and, in turn, underestimate the benefits of routine health screenings.
The importance of routine health checks
Moving forward, the team hopes that these findings inspire more young people to stay on top of their health care. Additionally, they hope that more work is done to emphasize the importance of routine health checks to mitigate these issues before they escalate.
Given declining heart health in young adults, its critical that we intensify public health messaging to this group on the importance of screening for high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol, said Dr. Wadhera. We need to address gaps in awareness early in life to prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease, or worse, later in life.
Posted: 2025-06-06 19:43:07
