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. 2017 Dec;109(6):509-515.
doi: 10.5935/abc.20170162. Epub 2017 Nov 27.

Waist Circumference is Associated with Blood Pressure in Children with Normal Body Mass Index: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of 3,417 School Children

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Daiane Cristina Pazin  1 , Caroline Filla Rosaneli  1 , Márcia Olandoski  1 , Edna Regina Netto de Oliveira  2 , Cristina Pellegrino Baena  1 , Alyne S Figueredo  1 , Analin Ono Baraniuk  1 , Tatiana Lorena da Luz Kaestner  1 , Luiz Cesar Guarita-Souza  1 , José Rocha Faria-Neto  1
Affiliations

Waist Circumference is Associated with Blood Pressure in Children with Normal Body Mass Index: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of 3,417 School Children

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Daiane Cristina Pazin et al. Arq Bras Cardiol. 2017 Dec.

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of childhood obesity and associated conditions, such as hypertension, has become a major problem of public health. Although waist circumference (WC) is a marker of cardiovascular risk in adults, it is unclear whether this index is associated with cardiovascular risk factors in children.

Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the association between increased WC and elevated blood pressure (BP) in children with normal body mass index (BMI) ranges.

Methods: Cross-sectional evaluation of students between 6 and 11 years with normal BMI. WC was categorized by quartile for each age group. Normal BP was defined as values < 90th percentile, and levels above this range were considered elevated. Values of p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: Of the 5,037 children initially assessed, 404 (8%) were excluded for being underweight and 1,216 (24.1%) were excluded for being overweight or obese. A final sample of 3,417 children was evaluated. The prevalence of elevated BP was 10.7%. In children with WC in the lowest quartile, the prevalence of elevated BP was 8.1%. This prevalence increased in upper quartiles: 10.6% in the second, 12.4% in third and 12.1% in the upper quartile. So, in this group, being in the highest WC quartile was associated with a 57% higher likelihood to present elevated BP when compared to those in the lowest quartile (Q4 vs Q1; OR 1.57 - 95%CI 1.14 - 2.17).

Conclusion: In children aged 6 to 11 years, increased waist circumference is associated with elevated BP even when BMI is normal.

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Conflict of interest statement

Potential Conflict of Interest

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Prevalence of elevated blood pressure according to waist circumference (WC - quartile). Q4 x Q1: OR = 1.57 (95%CI: 1.14 - 2.17) p = 0.014
Figure 2
Figure 2
Association between systolic blood pressure (SPB) and waist circumference by age group
Figure 3
Figure 3
Association between diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and waist circumference by age group
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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