Correlation between hypertension and BMI in children over five years of age

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of hypertension and obesity is on the rise in children. Both hypertension and obesity are of the most important factors in the development of cardiovascular diseases. Objectives: Given the importance of hypertension and obesity in children, this study was conducted to determine the incidence of hypertension and obesity in children and investigate the relationship between these two variables. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 994 children over five years of age admitted to the Children’s Clinic of Amirkabir Hospital in Arak, Iran. Blood pressure was determined by observing the standard blood pressure measurements based on children’s gender, age, and height. The BMI of children was determined based on available charts. Results: Of the 994 children entering the study, 51.1% were male and 48.9% were female. The mean age was 7.49 _ 2.38 years. The prevalence of obesity was 10.5% and the prevalence of hypertension was 7%. Based on BMI, the prevalence of hypertension was 19.2% in obese children and 4.1% in normal-weight children (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The condition of hypertension in children is significantly correlated with their obesity.