Relationship of obesity with high blood pressure in children and adolescents

Abstract

Background: Excess weight and body fat are currently recognized as the major determinants of high blood pressure in children and adolescents.

Objective: To identify the relationship between obesity - identified by waist circumference (WC), triceps skinfold thickness (TSF) and body mass index (BMI) - high blood pressure (HBP) in children and adolescents.

Methods: A cross-sectional epidemiological study based on school population in children and adolescents of both sexes, aged between 7 and 17 years, randomly selected.

Protocol: a structured questionnaire; measures of weight, height, triceps skinfold thickness, waist circumference, blood pressure, diagnosis of obesity through BMI, TSF thickness and waist circumference; diagnosis of HBP.

Statistical analysis: Chi-square.

Results: A total of 1,253 students (547 males, mean age 12.4 +/- 2.9 years), were assessed. A prevalence of obesity (BMI, TSF thickness, WC) of 13.7%, 14,8% and 9.3% respectively were identified. HBP was identified in 7.7% of young people. There was a significant association between obesity (BMI, TSF thickness, WC) with HBP (*p < 0.0001). There was a strong correlation (*p < 0.01) between WC and BMI, a moderate correlation between WC and TSF thickness, WC and SBP, BMI and SBP (*p < 0.01); weak correlation between DBP and WC, TSF thickness and BMI, and between SBP and TSF thickness (*p < 0.05).

Conclusion: The significant correlation and association between HBP and excess body fat by any of the methods used establish the importance of its use in evaluating children and adolescents, aiming at preventing hypertension in this age group, suggesting, for this, the use of BMI associated to at least another anthropometric method.