ABSTRACT
This study aimed at investigating the correlation of obesity with cardiovascular disease risk factors among children and adolescent girls. In this cross sectional study, representative samples of 2061 girls, aged 3-18 years, were selected from among participants of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure [BP], weight and height were measured and BMI was calculated. Serum concentrations of triglycerides [TG] and HDL-C were measured and LDL-C was calculated. Obesity affected 4.7% of the girls. Mean values of BMI, systolic and diastolic BP and TG increased with advancing age. Serum HDL-C, LDL-C and cholesterol levels increased with age up to the age of 12 years and decreased thereafter with advancing age. Compared with non-obese girls, obese girls had greater risks of high TG [OR=1.76, CI=0.48-5.08], high LDL-C [OR=1.3, CI=0.86-0.95], high cholesterol [OR=2.0, CI=0.06-3.72], low HDL-C [OR=1.46, CI=0.21-5.20], high systolic BP [OR=2.3, CI=0.08-5.22], and high diastolic BP [OR=2.4, CI=1.71-14.48]. Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors increase in children and adolescent obese girls in Tehran