Association Between Adiposity and Blood Pressure Levels Between the Ages of 6 and 16 Years. Analysis in a Student Population From Madrid, Spain

• Published in: Revista española de cardiología (English ed.) 2013-02, Vol.66 (2), p.110-115
• Main Authors: Marrodán Serrano, M. Dolores, Cabañas Armesilla, M. Dolores, Carmenate Moreno, M. Margarita, González-Montero de Espinosa, Marisa, López-Ejeda, Noemí, Martínez Álvarez, Jesús R., Prado Martínez, Consuelo, Romero-Collazos, Juan F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adiposity; Adolescent; Blood Pressure; Body Composition; Cardiovascular risk; Child; Composición corporal; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Hypertension - epidemiology; Hypertension - etiology; Male; Obesidad; Obesity; Overweight - complications; Overweight - physiopathology; Pediatrics; Pediatría; Presión arterial; Riesgo cardiovascular; Risk Factors; Spain; Students
• ISSN: 1885-5857; 1885-5857
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rec.2012.08.007

The increase in the incidence of hypertension in children can be attributed to the rising prevalence of obesity. The objective is to analyze the impact of overweight and the degree or distribution of adiposity on blood pressure levels in a population of Spanish schoolchildren. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 1511 schoolchildren between 6 years and 16 years of age. We measured weight, height, waist circumference, subcutaneous skinfolds, and blood pressure. Nutritional categories were established on the basis of body mass index, waist-to-height ratio, and percent body fat. According to the National High Blood Pressure Education Program Working Group, subjects whose blood pressure was above the 90th percentile of the standard normal distribution were considered to have high blood pressure. In all, 3.17% of the boys and 3.05% of the girls had high blood pressure. According to odds ratio analysis, the risk of high blood pressure increased in individuals with a body mass index indicative of obesity (7.87-fold in boys, 12.32-fold in girls), with a percent body fat>97th percentile (6.98-fold in boys, 18.51-fold in girls), or with a waist-to-height ratio≥0.5 (10.56-fold in boys, 7.82-fold in girls). Overweight and obesity increase the risk of high blood pressure in children between 6 years and 16 years of age, although the risk level varies depending on the amount and distribution of adipose tissue. Anthropometric indicators of relative adiposity and fat distribution are especially useful in the identification of children and adolescents with high blood pressure. El avance de la hipertensión en edad temprana puede atribuirse al incremento de la obesidad. El objetivo es analizar la repercusión del exceso ponderal, el grado y la distribución de la adiposidad en la presión arterial de población escolar española. Estudio transversal sobre 1.511 escolares de 6 a 16 años. Se midió peso, talla, perímetro de la cintura, pliegues adiposos y presión arterial. Se establecieron categorías nutricionales a partir del índice de masa corporal, el índice de cintura-talla y el porcentaje de grasa. Siguiendo al National High Blood Pressure Education Program Working Group, se consideró con presión elevada a los sujetos que superaban el percentil 90 del estándar. Presentaron presión arterial elevada el 3,17% de los niños y el 3,05% de las niñas. Según el análisis de la odds ratio, el riesgo aumentó en los sujetos con índice de masa corporal indicativo de obesidad (7,87 veces