ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Many studies have shown that high blood pressure and overweight begins in childhood. Consequently, it is useful to know blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) values from an early age. There are few data about blood pressure control in children and adolescents from rural populations in South America. AIM: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of high blood pressure and its association with sedentary habits and overweight/obesity in scholars from a rural population in Argentina. METHODS: The study population for this cross-sectional study was composed of rural children and adolescent scholars from Maria Ignacia Vela. Pre-hypertension and hypertension were defined on the basis of percentiles from the average of three blood pressure measurements taken on a single occasion. In patients with three blood pressure measurements above the 90th percentile, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed to confirm hypertension or pre-hypertension. BMI was categorized by using the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts. RESULTS: We studied 334 scholars (aged 5-18 years). Mean age was 11.4 years. In 70% of the subjects, blood pressure had never been measured. The prevalence of high blood pressure was 4.4%. Students with sedentary habits were 3.67-fold more likely to develop high blood pressure than their physically active counterparts (odds ratio [OR] 3.67; 95% CI 1.08, 12.46; p = 0.037). Obese students were more likely to develop hypertension than the students with normal weight (OR = 5.17; 95% CI 1.52, 17.60; p = 0.02). Male students had a 3.4-fold higher risk of developing high blood pressure than females. CONCLUSIONS: In our rural population, the evaluation of blood pressure in children and adolescents is not a routine measure. Our data indicate a low prevalence of high blood pressure. These data could argue differences between rural and urban scholars. Our data demonstrate a close relationship between increased overweight, obesity and sedentary lifestyle with the development of high blood pressure. We emphasize the importance of blood pressure controls and the need to implement programmes to modify sedentary lifestyle in rural populations.
Subject(s)
Blood Pressure , Hypertension/epidemiology , Obesity/epidemiology , Overweight/epidemiology , Rural Health , Adolescent , Age Factors , Argentina/epidemiology , Body Mass Index , Chi-Square Distribution , Child , Child, Preschool , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Habits , Humans , Hypertension/diagnosis , Hypertension/physiopathology , Logistic Models , Male , Obesity/diagnosis , Odds Ratio , Overweight/diagnosis , Prevalence , Risk Assessment , Risk Factors , Sedentary Behavior , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
Hypertension can start at an early age, however there are few data about blood pressure control in rural students in Argentina. Proyecto Vela is a survey about cardiovascular risk factors in the rural population of Maria Ignacia Vela, Argentina. We evaluated blood pressure levels, prevalence of arterial hypertension, sedentary lifestyle, overweight, and obesity in 331 children and adolescent students. In 70% of the subjects the blood pressure was measured for the first time. Prevalence of arterial hypertension was 4.3% in adolescents. Pre-hypertension was detected in 1.9% and 1.7% of children and adolescents, respectively. The prevalence of smoking, sedentary lifestyle, overweight or obesity was 2.4%, 50% and 23.8% respectively. There was association (p <0.05) between hypertension and sedentary lifestyle. In our population the evaluation of blood pressure in adolescents is not a routine procedure. Prevalence of hypertension was low but these data show the importance of blood pressure controls and the need of official programs to modify sedentary lifestyle.
Subject(s)
Hypertension/epidemiology , Adolescent , Argentina , Blood Pressure , Child , Child, Preschool , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Hypertension/diagnosis , Hypertension/physiopathology , Male , Prevalence , Prospective Studies , Rural HealthABSTRACT
La hipertensión arterial puede iniciarse a temprana edad. Existen pocos datos sobre el control de la presión arterial en poblaciones escolares rurales argentinas. Proyecto Vela es un estudio epidemiológico que evalúa la prevalencia de factores de riesgo cardiovascular en la población rural de María Ignacia Vela, Argentina. Se midieron niveles de presión arterial, prevalencia de hipertensión arterial, sedentarismo y sobrepeso en 331 niños y adolescentes escolares. En el 70 por ciento, la presión arterial se midió por primera vez. La prevalencia de hipertensión fue 4,3 por ciento y la de prehipertensión 1,9 por ciento en niños y 1,7 por ciento en adolescentes. Las prevalencias de tabaquismo, sedentarismo y sobrepeso fueron 2,4 por ciento, 50 por ciento y 23,8 por ciento, respectivamente. Hubo asociación entre sedentarismo e hipertensión arterial (p menor 0,05). La prevalencia de hipertensión fue baja, pero destacamos la importancia de medir la presión arterial desde edades tempranas e implementar programas oficiales para modificar el sedentarismo.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Adolescent , Child , Female , Blood Pressure , Cardiovascular Diseases , Hypertension , Overweight , Risk Factors , Rural Population , Tobacco Use Disorder , Cross-Sectional Studies , Epidemiologic Studies , ProjectsABSTRACT
La hipertensión arterial puede iniciarse a temprana edad. Existen pocos datos sobre el control de la presión arterial en poblaciones escolares rurales argentinas. Proyecto Vela es un estudio epidemiológico que evalúa la prevalencia de factores de riesgo cardiovascular en la población rural de María Ignacia Vela, Argentina. Se midieron niveles de presión arterial, prevalencia de hipertensión arterial, sedentarismo y sobrepeso en 331 niños y adolescentes escolares. En el 70 por ciento, la presión arterial se midió por primera vez. La prevalencia de hipertensión fue 4,3 por ciento y la de prehipertensión 1,9 por ciento en niños y 1,7 por ciento en adolescentes. Las prevalencias de tabaquismo, sedentarismo y sobrepeso fueron 2,4 por ciento, 50 por ciento y 23,8 por ciento, respectivamente. Hubo asociación entre sedentarismo e hipertensión arterial (p menor 0,05). La prevalencia de hipertensión fue baja, pero destacamos la importancia de medir la presión arterial desde edades tempranas e implementar programas oficiales para modificar el sedentarismo.(AU)
