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Lifestyle Changes Driving Hypertension Rapidly Among Youth, Says Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav

Lifestyle Changes Driving Hypertension Rapidly Among Indian Youth, Says Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav

Amid India's growing burden of <span>high blood pressure</span> among the youth, <span>Prataprao Jadhav</span>, Union Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of Ayush and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, said <span><a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/hypertension">hypertension</a></span> is emerging as a major public health concern due to worsening lifestyle habits.

High blood pressure is a “silent killer” that is rapidly increasing among India’s youth because of unhealthy lifestyle changes, the minister said. 

<h2>Hypertension Rising Rapidly Among Young Indians</h2>

Ahead of <span>World Hypertension Day 2026</span>, <span>Jadhav</span> noted that the condition often progresses without visible symptoms and can eventually lead to severe complications such as heart attacks and strokes. 

“In today’s time, it is essential that we make our communities more sensitive and aware and strengthen awareness about hypertension. Due to changing lifestyles and reduced attention to physical and mental health, hypertension is rapidly increasing even among the youth,” Jadhav said in a video message during the ‘Illness to Wellness Conference on Transforming Hypertension Care: Prevention to Wellness’ organized in the national capital. 

He highlighted that the Government of India, under the National Program for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NPCDCS), is actively promoting population-based screening, early detection, and management through Health and Wellness Centers across the country. 

<h2>Modern Lifestyle Habits Increasing Hypertension Risk </h2>

Prof. Rakesh Yadav, Cardiologist and head of the Department of Emergency Medicine at AIIMS, New Delhi, stated that once known to be the disease of the elderly, hypertension is now more common among the youth. The reason — lifestyle changes, the experts said.

“The biggest problem is that despite increasing awareness, people still do not monitor their blood pressure regularly or continue treatment consistently. Hypertension is no longer limited to the affluent or elderly; it is now affecting all sections of society, including children and young adults,” said Prof. Rakesh Yadav, Cardiologist and head of the Department of Emergency Medicine, AIIMS, New Delhi. 

“Obesity remains one of the major underlying causes, and regular monitoring of blood pressure and sugar levels, affordable lifelong medication, healthy dietary practices, and weight management are essential to reducing mortality associated with hypertension and related diseases,” he added. 

In India, more than 1 in 4 people have hypertension, and cumulatively, more than 90% of adults with hypertension are either undiagnosed, untreated, or treated but live with uncontrolled hypertension. 

Experts at the conference also pointed out that modern lifestyles marked by long working hours, constant connectivity, poor sleep, sedentary habits, and rising stress levels are significantly contributing to the growing burden of hypertension and other lifestyle disorders. 

Another major concern, they said, is that many people tend to ignore early symptoms until complications arise, negatively affecting treatment outcomes. 

“Hypertension is one of the biggest public health challenges today because most people do not take it seriously until complications arise. Nearly one in four adults is affected by hypertension, yet awareness and blood pressure control remain very low,” said Dr. Ripen Gupta, Vice Chairman &amp; Unit Head - Cardiology, Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket. 

Rajesh Bhushan, Former Secretary, Ministry of Health &amp; Family Welfare, said high blood pressure is not limited to urban populations and is increasingly affecting youth in rural India as well. 

“The problem of hypertension is as prevalent in rural India as it is in urban India, but because we live in metro cities, we often believe it is only an urban problem. Early detection is extremely important because without early detection, early treatment becomes difficult,” Bhushan said.

<h2>Experts Stress Early Detection And Preventive Care </h2>

Bushan stated that non-communicable diseases impact GDP significantly across countries, and therefore, prevention and timely intervention are critical. 

Hypertension should never be taken lightly, said Dr. Sanjeev Singh, Chairperson, FICCI Medical Education Task Force and Medical Director, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences &amp; Research Centre. He urged people to follow medical advice seriously to avoid long-term complications. 

The doctors called for critical lifestyle interventions for prevention and management. This included: 

<ul><li>annual BP screening, </li><li>aerobic exercise, </li><li>resistance training, </li><li>reduced desk time, </li><li>proper sleep, </li><li>yoga, </li><li>meditation, </li><li>monitoring BMI and waist circumference.</li></ul>

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Amid India's growing burden of high blood pressure among the youth, Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of Ayush and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, said hypertension is emerging as a major public health concern due to worsening lifestyle habits. High blood pressure is a “silent killer” that is rapidly increasing among India’s youth because of unhealthy lifestyle changes, the minister said. Hypertension Rising Rapidly Among Young IndiansAhead of World Hypertension Day 2026, Jadhav noted that the condition often progresses without visible symptoms and can eventually lead to severe complications such as heart attacks and strokes. “In today’s time, it is essential that we make our communities more sensitive and aware and strengthen awareness about hypertension. Due to changing lifestyles and reduced attention to physical and mental health, hypertension is rapidly increasing even among the youth,” Jadhav said in a video message during the ‘Illness to Wellness Conference on Transforming Hypertension Care: Prevention to Wellness’ organized in the national capital. He highlighted that the Government of India, under the National Program for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NPCDCS), is actively promoting population-based screening, early detection, and management through Health and Wellness Centers across the country. Modern Lifestyle Habits Increasing Hypertension Risk Prof. Rakesh Yadav, Cardiologist and head of the Department of Emergency Medicine at AIIMS, New Delhi, stated that once known to be the disease of the elderly, hypertension is now more common among the youth. The reason — lifestyle changes, the experts said. “The biggest problem is that despite increasing awareness, people still do not monitor their blood pressure regularly or continue treatment consistently. Hypertension is no longer limited to the affluent or elderly; it is now affecting all sections of society, including children and young adults,” said Prof. Rakesh Yadav, Cardiologist and head of the Department of Emergency Medicine, AIIMS, New Delhi. “Obesity remains one of the major underlying causes, and regular monitoring of blood pressure and sugar levels, affordable lifelong medication, healthy dietary practices, and weight management are essential to reducing mortality associated with hypertension and related diseases,” he added. In India, more than 1 in 4 people have hypertension, and cumulatively, more than 90% of adults with hypertension are either undiagnosed, untreated, or treated but live with uncontrolled hypertension. Experts at the conference also pointed out that modern lifestyles marked by long working hours, constant connectivity, poor sleep, sedentary habits, and rising stress levels are significantly contributing to the growing burden of hypertension and other lifestyle disorders. Another major concern, they said, is that many people tend to ignore early symptoms until complications arise, negatively affecting treatment outcomes. “Hypertension is one of the biggest public health challenges today because most people do not take it seriously until complications arise. Nearly one in four adults is affected by hypertension, yet awareness and blood pressure control remain very low,” said Dr. Ripen Gupta, Vice Chairman & Unit Head - Cardiology, Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket. Rajesh Bhushan, Former Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, said high blood pressure is not limited to urban populations and is increasingly affecting youth in rural India as well. “The problem of hypertension is as prevalent in rural India as it is in urban India, but because we live in metro cities, we often believe it is only an urban problem. Early detection is extremely important because without early detection, early treatment becomes difficult,” Bhushan said. Experts Stress Early Detection And Preventive Care Bushan stated that non-communicable diseases impact GDP significantly across countries, and therefore, prevention and timely intervention are critical. Hypertension should never be taken lightly, said Dr. Sanjeev Singh, Chairperson, FICCI Medical Education Task Force and Medical Director, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre. He urged people to follow medical advice seriously to avoid long-term complications. The doctors called for critical lifestyle interventions for prevention and management. This included: annual BP screening, aerobic exercise, resistance training, reduced desk time, proper sleep, yoga, meditation, monitoring BMI and waist circumference.

lifestyle changes driving hypertension rapidly among youth, says union minister prataprao jadhav

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