Effect of changes in body mass index and waist-to-height ratio on blood pressure in 11- to 13-year-old children: a prospective population study

Abstract

Background: Existing evidence about associations between change in body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) change and high blood pressure are relatively limited.

Aims: We aimed to investigate the associations of general overweight (based on BMI) and abdominal obesity (based on WHtR) change with high blood pressure in Chinese children.

Subjects and methods: A school-based cohort study in Ningbo region (China) was conducted among children with baseline evaluations in October 2016 with follow-up two years later. A total of 1432 children aged 11-13 years participated in this study.

Results: Our results showed that a change from normal BMI or WHtR to overweight or abdominal obesity in children was associated with high blood pressure (adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 2.62; p<0.05 or AOR, 2.79; p<0.05, respectively). In addition, an increased risk of high blood pressure was observed in children who maintained overweight or abdominal obesity (AOR, 1.67; p<0.05 or AOR, 1.69; p<0.05, respectively), but not in children who experienced remission to non-excess weight. Interestingly, children who increased BMI or WHtR had greater impact on SBP than on DBP.

Conclusion: The 2-year longitudinal study indicated that general overweight or abdominal obesity can predict the risk factor of high blood pressure in children. However, children who remitted to non-excess weight did not exhibit an increased risk of high blood pressure.

Keywords: Children; abdominal obesity; blood pressure; overweight.