Chapter 6: Epidemiology: The Science of Prevention

1. Jeff is 11 years old and slightly overweight. His father is a truck driver who was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. His mother is a licensed practical nurse at the local hospital. At a recent health science fair at his school, a student-led screening clinic documented Jeff’s blood pressure at 140/92 mm Hg.

a. Is Jeff at risk? If so, for what?

b. Utilizing the Guidelines for High Blood Pressure in Adults (American College of Cardiology, 2017), what is Jeff’s future risk from adolescence through adulthood?

c. How does epidemiologic data define hypertension in a child of Jeff’s age?

d. Are there health promotion activities that you would recommend?