title: Blood pressure levels among primary school children.
abstract: Blood pressure, height, weight and body mass index were measured in 1,280 Irish children aged 5-12 years (640 boys and 640 girls). Mean systolic and diastolic pressures accurate to within +/- 3 mmHg for each one year age-sex-group are presented. Blood pressure levels were found to correlate positively and significantly with height, weight and body mass index in both sexes. Forty nine (8%) boys and 58 (9%) girls were found to have a mean systolic blood pressure level above the 95th percentile value recommended by the 1987 Task Force of the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of America. Sixty eight (11%) boys and 71 (11%) girls had elevated diastolic levels above 95th percentile values, while 19 (3%) boys and 20 (3%) girls had an elevation of both systolic and diastolic pressure. The implications of these findings for Irish children are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Medicine, South West Thames Regional Health Authority.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maguire
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shelley
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values