High blood pressure isn’t just an adult problem anymore.A major new study finds hypertension or high blood pressure in kids and teens has nearly doubled worldwide over the past two decades.In 2000, about 3% of children had high blood pressure. By 2020, that number had climbed to more than 6%—affecting an estimated 114 million young people under the age of 19.The biggest driver, according to researchers? Childhood obesity.Nearly 1 in 5 kids with obesity now have hypertension—8 times higher than those at a healthy weight.The researchers also found 9% of children have masked hypertension—meaning their blood pressure looks normal in a doctor’s office, but spikes outside it.And another 8% have prehypertension—higher-than-normal levels that can lead to full hypertension later on.The findings come from an analysis of 96 large studies involving more than 443,000 children across 21 countries.According to one study author, “The nearly twofold increase should raise alarm bells for healthcare providers and caregivers.”But, he says, the good news is that improved screening and prevention efforts can turn this around.The authors say tackling childhood hypertension now—through healthy weight, physical activity and early monitoring—could help prevent heart and kidney problems later in life.Source: The Lancet Child & Adolescent HealthAuthor Affiliations: University of Edinburgh, Zhejiang University School of Medicine.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter