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Background: The ratio of triglycerides-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) is considered a robust biomarker of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and is associated with several diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hypertension (HTN). This study examined the independent association of adiposity and fitness with the TG/HDL-C ratio. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study comprising 403 (201 girls) Nigerian adolescents aged 11-19 years. Participants were evaluated for body mass index, cardiorespiratory fitness, and TG/HDL-C. Regression models adjusting for age and biological maturity were used to evaluate the association of adiposity and fitness with TG/HDL-C ratio. The TG/HDL-C ratios of 1.0 mmol/L and 1.1 mmol/L were used to stratify female and male participants into low- and high-risk groups, respectively. Results: Of the 135 high-risk adolescents, 21.1%, 5.5%, 12.7%, 14.9%, and 0.5% were at risk of T2DM, systolic HTN, diastolic HTN, abdominal obesity, and MetS, respectively. The independent variables were significantly associated with TG/HDL-C ratio only in boys but not girls. In boys, high adiposity (ß = 0.193; P = 0.025) and low fitness (ß = -0.169; P = 0.048) were independently associated with the dependent variable. Unfit boys were 3.9 (95% confidence interval [CI] =1.37-10.94, P = 0.011) times more likely to develop elevated TG/HDL-C ratio than their fit peers. The likelihood of girls at risk of MetS developing a high TG/HDL-C ratio was 13.7 (95% CI = 3.89-48.32, P < 0.001) times compared to their counterparts without MetS. Conclusions: Adiposity and fitness were independently associated with TG/HDL-C in boys but not in girls. Health promotion intervention focusing on lowering TG/HDL-C ratio among Nigerian adolescents should include an emphasis on healthy diet and endurance activity programs.
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OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between obesity and blood pressure among employees of the Vhembe district municipality of Limpopo province. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 452 local government employees (207 males, 245 females) aged 24-65 years. Body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP) and waist circumference (WC) measurements, and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were assessed. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) statistics, version 21. RESULTS: The results showed that 27% of the participants were classified as overweight and 34% as obese, with females being more overweight and obese (29 and 48%, respectively) compared to males (24 and 17%, respectively). Twenty-five per cent of the participants were hypertensive, with females (27%) showing a higher prevalence compared to males (22%). Based on BMI categories, the obese group (35%) had a higher prevalence of hypertension in contrast to groups that were of normal weight (18%) and overweight (22%). The results also showed that systolic blood pressure (SBP) was positively (p ≤ 0.05) correlated with BMI (r = 0.15), WC (r = 0.26) and WHtR (r = 0.29) in the normal and overweight groups (WC, r = 0.23 and WHtR, r = 0.26), and WHtR correlated with SBP (r = 0.26) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (r = 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: The study showed a high prevalence of overweight, obesity and hypertension, with females more affected than their male counterparts. BMI, WC and WHtR were positively correlated with SBP in the normal and overweight groups, with WHtR positively correlated with both SBP and DBP in the overweight group. Therefore, it is recommended that intervention regimes designed to address obesity and hypertension should consider risk awareness for cardiovascular diseases, impaired quality of life and productivity among local government employees.
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OBJETIVO: Avaliar a relação entre índice de massa corporal, sobrepeso e pressão arterial em crianças e adolescentes da área rural da África do Sul. MÉTODOS: A amostra abrangeu 1.172 escolares (541 meninos e 631 meninas) com idades entre 10 e 16 anos. Estatura, massa corporal e dobras cutâneas foram medidas por meio de procedimentos padrão. O sobrepeso foi definido pelo índice de massa corporal para idade e sexo. A pressão arterial foi monitorada três vezes em cada criança com o uso de aparelhos eletrônicos validados (Omron HEM-705 CP, Omron, Tóquio, Japão). A hipertensão foi determinada como a média de três leituras da pressão arterial, em que a sistólica ou a diastólica foi igual ou acima do percentil 90 para idade e sexo. Estatísticas descritivas foram calculadas para todas as variáveis. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de sobrepeso foi de 5,5% para meninos e 4,4% para meninas. A taxa de crianças com pressão arterial acima do percentil 90 variou de 2,3 a 5,9%. A probabilidade do desenvolvimento de hipertensão em crianças é perceptível aos dez anos, tanto para os meninos (0,2%) quanto para as meninas (0,1%), e oscilou de 0,2 a 1,7% para o sexo masculino e de 0,1 a 1,2% para o feminino. Considerando-se a amostra total, a prevalência de hipertensão foi de 4,1% para os meninos e 2,8% para as meninas. A pressão arterial apresentou correlação positiva com estatura, massa corporal, índice de massa corporal, gordura corpórea e soma das dobras cutâneas (p<0,001). CONCLUSÕES: A pressão arterial aumentou com a idade tanto para os meninos quanto para as meninas. A medição da pressão arterial de rotina, como parte do exame físico em escolares, é crucial para fins de prevenção e medidas de intervenção precoces.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between body mass index, overweight, and blood pressure among South African rural children and adolescents. METHODS: The sample involved 1,172 schoolchildren (541 boys and 631 girls) aged 10 to 16 years. Stature, body mass, and skinfolds were measured using standard procedures. Overweight was defined by body mass index for gender and age. Blood pressure was monitored in each child three times using validated electronic devices (Omron HEM-705 CP, Device, Tokyo, Japan). Hypertension was determined as the average of three separate blood pressure readings, in which the systolic or diastolic blood pressure was ≥90th percentile for age and sex. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight was 5.5% for boys and 4.4% for girls. The children who had systolic blood pressure >90th percentile ranged from 2.3 to 5.9%. The likelihood of hypertension development among children is noticeable at age 10 for both boys and girls (0.2 and 0.1%, respectively), and ranged from 0.2 to 1.7% for boys and 0.1 to 1.2% for girls. Collectively, the prevalence of hypertension was 4.1 and 2.8% for boys and girls, respectively. Blood pressure correlated positively with stature, body mass, body mass index, body fat, and sum of skinfolds (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Blood pressure increased with age in both genders. The routine measurement of blood pressure, as part of physical examinations of schoolchildren, is crucial for early prevention and intervention programs.
OBJETIVO: Este estudio evalúa la relación entre índice de masa corporal, sobrepeso y presión arterial en adolescentes rurales sudafricanos. MÉTODOS: La muestra incluyó a 1.172 niños de 10-16 años de edad (541 del sexo masculino y 631 del sexo femenino). La estatura, la masa corporal y los pliegues cutáneos se midieron utilizando procedimientos estándares. El sobrepeso se definió según el índice de masa corporal para sexo y edad. Se monitorizó la presión arterial por tres veces en cada niño utilizando aparatos electrónicos validados (Omron HEM-705 CP, Omron, Tokio, Japón). Se determinó la hipertensión cuando los promedios de la presión sistólica o diastólica, calculados con base en las tres mediciones de presión arterial, fueron ≥percentil 90 para edad y sexo. Se calcularon estadísticas descriptivas para todas las variables. RESULTADOS: La prevalencia de sobrepeso fue del 5,5% en los niños y 4,4% en las niñas. El porcentaje de adolescentes con presión arterial sistólica >percentil 90 osciló entre el 2,3 y el 5,9%. La probabilidad de desarrollo de hipertensión entre los jóvenes fue notable a los 10 años tanto en los niños como en las niñas (0,2 y 0,1%, respectivamente) y osciló entre el 0,2 y el 1,7% en los niños y entre el 0,1 y el 1,2% en las niñas. Colectivamente, la prevalencia de hipertensión fue del 4,1 y el 2,8% en niños y niñas, respectivamente. La presión arterial estuvo positivamente correlacionada con estatura, masa corporal, índice de masa corporal, grasa corporal y suma de pliegues cutáneos (p=0,00). CONCLUSIONES: La presión arterial se elevó con la edad tanto en los niños como en las niñas, y estuvo positivamente correlacionada con estatura, masa corporal, índice de masa corporal, grasa corporal y suma de pliegues cutáneos. La medición de rutina de la presión arterial como parte del examen físico de escolares es crucial para la prevención precoz y la implementación de programas de intervención.
