<Researchers>
Principal Investigator: Aya Shiraki, MD, PhD, Specially Appointed Professor, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Saga University Faculty of Medicine

Co-Investigator: Atsushi Tanaka, MD, PhD, Professor/Associate Professor, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Saga University Faculty of Medicine

Collaborating Students and Teacher: Five second-year students from Kogakukan High School (Haruka Sakamoto, Risa Shimada, Natsumine Iwanaga, Kotomi Teruya, Saku Nakamura) and Teacher Eiki Hattori.

Japanese Society of Hypertension Diversity Committee:
Mari Ishida, Hiroshima Shudo University
Kimika Arakawa, Kyushu Medical Center
Ako Fukami, Kurume University
Takuya Kishi, International University of Health and Welfare

Overview of Research Findings
It is well known that high blood pressure beginning in youth often leads to hypertension in adulthood, increasing the risk of stroke and myocardial infarction later in life. By understanding one’s own blood pressure and identifying related lifestyle factors during high school years, students can take early action to protect their long-term health.
In this pioneering study—the first of its kind in the world—five students from Kogakukan High School analyzed health checkup data from their school and conducted a questionnaire survey among all students with consent. They examined possible lifestyle factors affecting blood pressure, including salt intake, sugar and carbohydrate intake, aerobic exercise, caffeine consumption, and sleep duration.
The students initially presented their findings at the 46th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Society of Hypertension. Subsequently, Professor Aya Shiraki and her team at Saga University conducted further multivariate analyses on the data. The results revealed that higher BMI, excessive sugar intake exceeding physical activity levels, and shorter sleep duration were significantly associated with elevated blood pressure among high school students.
The resulting paper has been accepted for publication in Hypertension Research, the official journal of the Japanese Society of Hypertension.
Publication:
Hypertension Research
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41440-025-02381-y

Future Prospects
The findings suggest that improving sleep duration, maintaining appropriate body weight, and moderating sugar intake according to physical activity levels may help prevent hypertension in adolescents. These insights enable more targeted health education programs to safeguard long-term cardiovascular health starting from high school age.

Additional Highlights
This project originated from the pioneering activities at Kogakukan High School, which served as a model for Saga Prefecture’s initiative “Zero High School Students Unaware of Their Blood Pressure.”

It represents a unique and innovative collaboration between a local high school and Saga University, demonstrating the potential of community-based research to promote adolescent health.

【contact】
Dr. Aya Shiraki, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University.
Email: nakajiay@cc.saga-u.ac.jp