Key result
Higher body fat percentage is weakly linked to higher blood pressure categories in adolescents.
Why the study?
Adolescent adiposity and elevated blood pressure are important cardiometabolic concerns, and because body mass index does not distinguish fat mass from fat-free mass, the association between directly measured body fat percentage and blood pressure categories needed to be assessed.
Is body fat percentage measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis associated with blood pressure categories in junior high school adolescents?
Cross-Sectional (n=245)
Yes
Is body fat percentage measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis associated with blood pressure categories in junior high school adolescents?
In this cross-sectional sample of Indonesian adolescents, body fat percentage categories measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis showed a weak positive correlation with blood pressure screening categories, supporting the potential utility of combined school-based body composition and blood pressure screening.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Does not support immediate screening changes; leaves open whether body fat percentage improves BP risk prediction over BMI in adolescents.
Background: Adolescent adiposity and elevated blood pressure are important cardiometabolic concerns. Body mass index does not distinguish fat mass from fat free mass, which limits its usefulness as a standalone indicator of adiposity.Purpose: To assess the association between body fat percentage and blood pressure categories among adolescents.Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included 245 students from two junior high schools in Kediri, Indonesia. Body fat percentage was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis, and blood pressure was measured using an automatic monitor blood pressure. Descriptive statistics and Spearman rank correlation were used.Results: Mean age was 13.44 ± 0.93 years; mean body fat was 20.45 ± 5.90%; and mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were 110.21 ± 13.38 and 70.49 ± 8.48 mmHg, respectively. Overall, 196 students (80.0%) were categorized as having high or very high body fat, and 48 (19.6%) had non-normal blood pressure categories. The reported correlation was weak (ρ = 0.297; p < 0.001).Conclusion: Body fat and blood pressure categories were associated in this sample. School-based assessment may combine body composition and blood pressure screening, with follow-up confirmation of abnormal blood pressure results.
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Agnes et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Adolescent adiposity and elevated blood pressure (n=245). Body fat percentage category (measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis) vs. Normal or low body fat percentage categories was evaluated on Association between ordinal body fat percentage categories and blood pressure categories (Spearman's rho = 0.297, p=< 0.001). Body fat percentage categories showed a statistically significant but weak positive correlation with blood pressure categories among Indonesian adolescents (Spearman's rho = 0.297, p < 0.001).
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