European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

BLOOD PRESSURE AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH ANTHROPOMETRIC INDICATORS OF OBESITY IN SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Nilviane Pires Silva Sousa*, Allan Kardec Barros, Ewaldo Eder Carvalho Santana, Sally Cristina Moutinho Monteiro, Camila Guimarães Polisel and Wellington Roberto Gomes de Carvalho

ABSTRACT

Background: Hypertension is correlated to increased body fat, particularly visceral fat, which can be assessed using anthropometric parameters. Objective: Association blood pressure with anthropometric indicators in school students from São Luís, Maranhão, Northeastern Brazil. Methods: Cross-sectional study with a sample of 304 female adolescents aged 12-19 years. The following anthropometric parameters were assessed: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and conicity index (C Index). Additionally, hemodynamic parameters – systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were also assessed. Descriptive analyses, Student’s t test for independent samples, Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-squared test and Person correlation coefficient were used for data analysis. Results: In the study sample, 12.5% of participants were obese and 13.5% had borderline high blood pressure. Only the variables BMI, WC and WHtR were statistically significantly correlated to SBP and DBP. Conclusion: Anthropometric indicators BMI, WC and WHtR are correlated to SBP and DBP and can be a low-cost, non-invasive and easy-to-use alternative for screening high blood pressure in adolescents.

Keywords: Anthropometry, Blood Pressure, Obesity, Adolescent.