Abstract:

Introduction: The presence of changes in blood pressure is already observed in the adolescent population. Thus, the identification of factors associated with blood pressure elevation is useful for the elaboration of public health strategies. Objective: To identify whether anthropometric variables and glycemic profile are associated with changes in blood pressure in adolescents. Method: cross-sectional study with 1007 adolescents, aged 12 to 15 years. Anthropometric data (body mass index - BMI and waist circumference - WC), blood pressure (systolic blood pressure - SBP and diastolic blood pressure - DBP) and fasting blood glucose were evaluated. Data were described as prevalence ratio (PR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: A high percentage of boys and girls, respectively, were overweight / obese (37.0% and 33.8%), with changes in blood pressure (23.8% and 23.5%) and glycemic levels (15.8% and 12.5%). Overweight / obese schoolchildren have a higher prevalence of SBP change (PR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.05-1.24) among boys and girls (PR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.09-1.26) and DBP among boys (PR = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.01-1.18), compared to their peers with BMI classified as low weight / normal. In addition, boys with abdominal obesity have a higher prevalence of altered DBP (PR = 1.11; 95% CI: 1.00-1.22), compared to boys with normal WC. Conclusion: The presence of overweight and obesity is associated with altered SBP. Elevated WC was associated with change in DBP only for males. Blood glucose was not associated with altered BP.

Keywords: