Hypertension and obesity prevalence in children and adolescents is on rise in most high and middle-income countries. Youths associated with fat around their abdominal area are at a higher risk of developing hypertension compared to those with similar type of obesity but fat concentrations elsewhere on the body. Studies have been revealed that young obese girls have 6-fold chance of developing hypertension compared with those of healthy weight, while the risk is 4-fold greater for obese boys.
As we know that the obesity is one of the risk factors for hypertension, or high blood pressure, and it is postulated that the location of fat on a person’s body can lead to increased risk of other health issues viz. heart disease and cancer. Nevertheless, the relationship between hypertension and overall obesity versus site-specific fat accumulation is not clear. In general, visceral fat stores correlate with the ‘apple shape’ as opposed to the ‘pear shape,’ thus having centrally located fat while looking in the mirror tends to correlate with higher levels of fat in the abdomen. The elevated occurrence of hypertension and presence of retroperiotoneal fat suggests that the effect from fat around the kidneys is influences the development of hypertension.

SUGGESTED READINGS
Ansari JA. Adipokines: A link between obesity and cancer. Int J Adv Pharmacy Med Bioallied Sci. 2, 1, 2014.
European society of cardiology. Obese youths have a nearly 6 fold risk of hypertension, 2014. [http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-08/esoc-oyh082614.php#]
Jenny H. Daily mail medical correspondent, 2014.
[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2739320/Fat-children-six-times-high-blood-pressure-risk-Figures-lead-doctors-calling-taskforce-tackle-child-obesity.html]