Prevalence of hypertension at ages 5, 13 and 18 years, and its association with overweight and obesity
Abstract
Aim of study: Hypertension is often associated with overweight and obesity. Our study was designed to determine the prevalence of hypertension in 5-, 13-, and 18-year-olds and the association of hypertension with overweight and obesity.
Method: Anthropometric data were obtained from, and blood pressure measured in a total of 7,427 children attending preventive examinations for children and adolescents at ages 5, 13, and 18 years in general practitioner offices. Data were obtained from 57 physicians across the Czech Republic.
Results: Hypertension was diagnosed in 115 (1.54%) of the 7,427 subjects examined, being present more often in boys than in girls (1.02% vs. 0.52%). In the 5-year-olds, hypertension was present in only 18 (0.86%) of the 2,092 children, more often in boys compared with girls (0.90% vs. 0.82%).
Of the 2,711 thirteen-year-olds, hypertension was diagnosed in 51 children (1.88%), again more often in boys compared with girls (2.28% vs. 1.48%). In the 18-year-olds, hypertension was detected in 46 (1.75%) of the 2,624 examined adolescents, again with boys predominating (2.68% vs. 0.84%).
At 5 years of age, overweight with a BMI >= 90th-97th percentiles was detected in 33 (1.6%) children; i.e., 23 (2.0%) boys and 10 (1.0%) girls. Obesity with a BMI >= 97th percentile was present in 75 (3.6%) children; of this number in 33 (3.0%) boys and 42 (4.3%) girls.
At age 13 years, overweight was present in 70 (2.6%) children, i.e., 30 (2.2%) boys and 40 (3.0%) girls. Obesity was diagnosed in a total of 154 (5.7%) children, i.e., 74 (5.4%) boys and 80 (5.9%) girls.
At age 18 years, overweight was detected in 28 (1.2 %) adolescents, i.e., 16 (1.2%) girls and 12 (0.9%) boys. Only 80 (3.0%) adolescents were obese. i.e., 40 (3.0%) girls and 40 (3.0%) boys.
Hypertension was associated with increased body weight in 81 children (70%). with obesity in 53%. and with overweight in 17%. Hypertension not associated with increased body weight was diagnosed in 34 (30%) children.
Among the 5-year-olds, hypertension without increased body weight was seen in 8 (44%), with obesity in 1 (6%), and with overweight in 9 (50%). Among the 51 hypertensive 13-year-old children, 37 (72%) were obese, 8 (16%) overweight, while hypertension without increased body weight was present in 6 (12%).
In the 18-year-olds, hypertension was associated with obesity in 50%. with overweight in 3 (7%) while 20 hypertensives (43%) were neither overweight nor obese. Conclusion: At ages 5, 13. and 18 years, hypertension was diagnosed in 1.54% of children and adolescents, in 70% of those with a BMI >= 90th percentile; of this proportion in 53% of those with obesity >= 97th percentile.
Maintenance of normal body weight or, possibly, weight reduction, could be an effective technique of hypertension prevention and control.