Unhealthy life-style surging hypertension amongst youths alarmingly: Specialists

DHAKA, May 17, 2026 (BSS) – Unhealthy life, poor meals habits, stress, lack of train, sleep disruption, and extreme display time are resulting in hypertension alarmingly amongst individuals significantly youths.

Health specialists stated consumption of vegetables and fruit amongst youths is declining, whereas smoking, drug use, air air pollution, and noise air pollution are rising as main causes for rising hypertension. 

Talking to BSS marking the event of World Hypertension Day famous doctor and professor of drugs Dr. Abul Kalam Azad stated one in each 5 younger individuals in Bangladesh is presently affected by hypertension. 

He stated meals resembling chips, pickles, burgers, pizza, delicate drinks, and meals excessive in sugar and salt for growing blood strain among the many youth. People who work sitting for lengthy durations are at better danger of creating hypertension, Prof Kalam, additionally pro-VC of BMU stated.

Mugda Medical College Vice-Principal Professor Dr. Mohammad Shahabul Huda Chowdhury stated greater than half of the individuals of 50-year age group are both affected by hypertension or on the danger of creating it. He expressed concern over the growing variety of younger professionals affected by hypertension.

Professor Dr. Sohel Reza Chowdhury, head of Epidemiology and Research Department at National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute stated hypertension and coronary heart illness are now not restricted to older adults, as comparable traits at the moment are being noticed amongst youthful individuals as effectively.

He stated more healthy diets, life-style adjustments, and common blood strain testing might assist scale back the rising prevalence of hypertension among the many youthful inhabitants.

Health specialists urged individuals to not look forward to signs earlier than looking for medical consideration, emphasizing that common blood strain examine, wholesome consuming behavior, stress administration, train, and correct sleep can save lives and stop long-term issues.

Dr. Md. Hasan Farooq Bhuiyan, a heart specialist of NICVD stated extra younger adults are creating hypertension due to unhealthy routines, bodily inactivity, and rising psychological stress. 

He famous that over 90 p.c of hypertension instances are idiopathic, that means they haven’t any direct medical trigger, whereas a smaller quantity are linked to situations resembling kidney illness, thyroid problems, or pregnancy-related issues.

Dr. Hasan stated the rising reputation of quick meals during the last decade has considerably contributed to hypertension. Restaurants and roadside eateries typically reuse cooking oil a number of instances, producing unhealthy fat that harm blood vessels and enhance levels of cholesterol.

“When oil is reheated repeatedly, it creates harmful fats that contribute to stiffness in blood vessels and increase blood pressure and cardiovascular risks,” he stated.

He additionally highlighted how altering work tradition, significantly the rise of work-from-home practices, has disrupted sleeping habits and organic rhythms. 

Many individuals now keep awake late at night time, spend lengthy hours in entrance of screens, and fail to get sufficient sleep, all of which have an effect on hormonal stability and step by step enhance blood strain.

According to Dr. Hasan, youthful generations have gotten much less bodily lively than earlier generations. Outdoor video games and train are more and more being changed by cell phone use, on-line gaming, and social media, leading to sedentary life that enhance the chance of hypertension and different cardiovascular ailments.

Stress and anxiousness are additionally main contributors to hypertension. Dr. Hasan defined that psychological strain triggers the discharge of cortisol, a hormone that instantly will increase blood strain. He stated stress-related hypertension impacts not solely workplace staff coping with deadlines and job strain, but in addition homemakers managing household obligations and childcare.

Describing hypertension as a ‘silent killer’, Dr. Hasan warned that the illness typically develops with out noticeable signs whereas silently damaging the center, mind, kidneys, and eyes. Many individuals keep away from well being check-ups as a result of they concern lifelong medicine, however uncontrolled hypertension can result in extreme issues.

He stated extended hypertension forces the center to work tougher, inflicting thickening of coronary heart muscle tissue, irregular heartbeat, and finally coronary heart failure. Sudden spikes in blood strain attributable to stress, anger, or lack of sleep can rupture blood vessels within the mind and set off strokes, one of many main causes of loss of life and incapacity worldwide.

According to the World Health Organization, practically 20 p.c of adults in Bangladesh are affected by hypertension. The WHO’s 2025 report acknowledged that 283,800 individuals in Bangladesh died from coronary heart disease-related diseases in 2024, and 52 p.c of these deaths had been linked to hypertension.

The Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2017–2018 discovered that almost 40 p.c of individuals aged 35 and above have hypertension, in comparison with 26 p.c in 2011. 

Among males, the speed elevated from 20 p.c to 34 p.c, whereas amongst girls it rose from 32 p.c to 45 p.c. The survey additionally revealed that 51 p.c of girls and 67 p.c of males with hypertension are unaware that they’ve the situation.

High blood strain is now one of many high three causes of loss of life and incapacity in Bangladesh. Every 12 months, round 277,000 individuals within the nation die from coronary heart disease-related diseases, with hypertension being one of many main causes.

According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics’ Health and Morbidity Status Survey 2025, hypertension ranks first among the many high 10 ailments within the nation.