Key result
Obesity was significantly associated with hypertension in children aged 7-12 years, with hypertension present in 32.8% of obese children compared to 2.5% of normal-weight children.
Why the study?
Does higher BMI correlate with increased blood pressure in children aged 7-12 years?
Cross-Sectional (n=2,826)
Yes
Does higher BMI correlate with increased blood pressure in children aged 7-12 years?
In Turkish children aged 7-12 years, hypertension is prevalent (7.9%) and significantly associated with increasing BMI, highlighting the need for routine blood pressure screening in overweight and obese children.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Supports BP screening consideration in obese children; leaves open causality and prospective validation before guideline changes.
OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have reported an increasing prevalence of childhood hypertension. Obesity is probably the most important risk factor. The relationship between hypertension and BMI in children has not been studied in Ankara, which is the second largest city in Turkey. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study analysing direct data on height, weight and blood pressure of students. SETTING: Population-based study in Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. SUBJECTS: In three schools, 2826 students aged 7-12 years. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of hypertension was 7·9 %. Among the 222 hypertensive children, 124 (56 %) were boys and ninety-eight (44 %) were girls (P=0·40). In the whole group, 3·6 % had only systolic hypertension, 0·7 % had only diastolic hypertension and 3·5 % had both systolic and diastolic hypertension. The prevalences of overweight and obesity were both 13·9 %. BMI was significantly correlated with blood pressure (P<0·001). Overweight and obesity were more common in boys (P<0·001). CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension was more common than has been reported in other studies. Blood pressure measurement should be routine and frequent in children, especially obese children.
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Polat et al. (2014) conducted a cross-sectional in Hypertension and Obesity (n=2,826). Obesity vs. Normal weight was evaluated on Prevalence of hypertension (p=<0.001). Obesity was significantly associated with hypertension in children aged 7-12 years, with hypertension present in 32.8% of obese children compared to 2.5% of normal-weight children.
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