Childhood obesity elevates blood pressure and total cholesterol independent of physical activity

Abstract

Objective: To compare the habitual physical activity, blood pressure, total cholesterol levels of obese and non-obese matched children.

Subjects: 546 obese children (BMI and sum of skinfolds > or = 90% tile) were matched for gender, race, age, and height (within 2 cm) with non-obese controls for a total sample of 1092 children.

Measurements: Systolic (BPsys) and diastolic (BPdia) blood pressure by mercury sphygmomanometer, total cholesterol by reflectance photometry, and physical activity by questionnaire.

Results: Mean comparisons indicated the obese children, regardless of gender, had higher BPsys (108 +/- 11 vs 104 +/- 10 mm Hg, P = 0.0001), BPdia (70 +/- 9 vs 68 +/- 8 mm Hg, P = 0.002), and greater total cholesterol levels (4.47 +/- 0.80 vs 4.11 +/- 0.75 mmol/L, P = 0.0001) than the non-obese subjects. Self-reported physical activity scores were not significantly different when comparing the obese and non-obese children. Correlations between self-reported activity and cholesterol or blood pressure were all very low and not significant (r < or = 0.06).

Conclusion: These results suggest that childhood obesity is associated with higher blood pressures and greater circulating cholesterol levels independent of physical activity levels.