Body mass, fat distribution and blood pressure in Southern Italian children: results of the ARCA project.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between the degree of adiposity, assessed using the international reference values for body mass index (BMI) of the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), the fat distribution pattern and the blood pressure (BP) profile in children.


METHODS
Anthropometric indices and blood pressure were measured in 3923 children aged 6-11 years in southern Italy.


RESULTS
The prevalence of overweight and obesity (by IOTF references) and pediatric hypertension was, respectively: 27, 21 and 10% for boys; 25, 21 and 14% for girls. Body mass index and waist z-scores were the strongest determinants of BP by regression analysis. Overweight and obesity were associated with a greater tendency for central fat deposition and higher BP (waist, cm; boys: 59.2+/-6.0, 69.5+/-7.9, 79.0+/-9.7; girls: 58.8+/-6.5, 68.2+/-7.4, 75.3+/-8.9; SBP/DBP, mmHg; boys: 94/60+/-12/9, 99/62+/-13/8, 103/64+/-15/10; girls: 93/59+/-12/9, 99/62+/-14/9, 101/63+/-14/9; normal weight, overweight and obese, respectively; P<0.0001; M+/-SD), and a higher risk of hypertension (overweight: RR=2.33; 95% CI 1.76-3.08; obesity: RR=3.69; 95% CI 2.78-4.90), independent of age, physical activity, birth weight, parental adiposity and education. Among normal weight children, 99% had waist <85th percentile and 93% were normotensive.


CONCLUSIONS
Overweight and obese children, identified according to the IOTF growth charts, are characterized by a central fat distribution pattern and higher BP.
Barba
Gianvincenzo
G
Epidemiology and Population Genetics, Institute of Food Sciences, National Research Council, Via Roma 52 A/C, 83100 Avellino, Italy. gbarba@isa.cnr.it
Troiano
Ersilia
E
Russo
Paola
P
Strazzullo
Pasquale
P
Siani
Alfonso
A