Longitudinal relationships between changes in body composition and changes in selected metabolic risk factors (abdominal obesity and blood pressure) among South African adolescents

• Published in: PeerJ (San Francisco, CA) CA), 2020-06, Vol.8, p.e9331-e9331, Article e9331
• Main Authors: Masocha, Vincent, Monyeki, Makama Andries, Czyż, Stanisław H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdomen; Abdominal obesity; Adolescent; Adolescents; Age; Blood pressure; Body composition; Body fat; Body mass index; Central business districts; Childhood obesity; Children; Children & youth; Diabetes; Ethics; Exercise; Families & family life; Hypertension; Longitudinal studies; Longitudinal study; Metabolic Sciences; Metabolism; Obesity; Overweight; Pediatrics; Physical activity; Physiological aspects; Public Health; Risk factors; School dropout programs; School dropouts; Socioeconomic factors; Teenagers; Urban areas; Values; Variance analysis; Youth
• ISSN: 2167-8359; 2167-8359
• DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9331

Incidence of childhood high blood pressure (BP) is increasing worldwide. This study examined the longitudinal relationship between changes in body composition (i.e. body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and percentage body fat) and selected metabolic risk factors (abdominal obesity and BP) among adolescents from the Tlokwe municipality in the North West Province of South Africa. One hundred and eight-six adolescents (81 boys and 105 girls) aged 14 to 16 years participated in the study. Body composition was measured following the International Society of the Advancement of Kinanthropometry standard procedures. BMI, abdominal obesity using WC measurement, and resting BP were determined. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures was calculated to determine changes in anthropometric measures and body composition as well as changes in BP. Additionally, Univariate analysis of variance with repeated measures and participants as a random sample was applied. Diastolic BP (DBP) and systolic BP (SBP) were used as dependent variables and sex, age, BMI, WC, and waist-to-height ratio as independent variables. Significant changes were found for stature, BMI, body mass, WC, SBP, and DBP. BMI for the total group was significant and positively related to abdominal obesity in 2012 (  = 0.55;