Correlates of high blood pressure among the adolescent school children

Abstract

To assess the prevalence of high blood pressure  and its association with overall and abdominal obesity, social and environmental conditions among the adolescent school children of Tirupati town of Andhra Pradesh,  India. Data was collected from schoolchildren aged between 12 to 16 years. The sample consisted of 2258 subjects (1097 boys and 1161 girls). Overweight and obesity were defined by body mass index based on the current method recommended by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention 2000. Abdominal obesity was classified based on age and sex specific >90^th percentiles of the reference data. Hypertension was defined as raised blood pressure (average Systolic blood pressure and/or Diastolic blood pressure >95^th percentile) for age and sex. Data on social and environmental factors was collected by using a pre-tested and validated questionnaire. In the present study pooled hypertension was 9.5%. Mean values of anthropometry and blood pressure showed consistent increase from 12 to 16 yrs (p<0.05). Body mass index, parental level of education, watching video games, leisure time physical activity and eating behavior of chocolates were the potential confounders to determine the elevated blood pressure levels. Our study reinforces the burgeoning prevalence of high blood pressure among the adolescents.

Keywords: Adolescents, blood pressure, India, obesity, socioeconomic factors