Relation between physical activity and blood pressure levels in young Greek adolescents: the Leontio Lyceum Study.
BACKGROUND
Elevated blood pressure (BP) during childhood and adolescence is not so rare and increases the risk of hypertension in adulthood. Physical activity (PA) is considered a key component for the prevention and treatment of hypertension in children and adolescents. Thus, the purpose of our study was to assess the level of PA in Greek adolescents and its relation to BP levels.


METHODS
The study included 496 students aged 12-17 years who were enrolled on a volunteer basis. All children were subjected to BP measurement on two different occasions during a routine school day. Demographic, socio-economic and lifestyle characteristics were assessed by means of a standard questionnaire. Information on the frequency and duration of PA and on the amount of time spent on sedentary activities was obtained by the short-form self-administered questionnaire International Physical Activity Questionnaire-IPAQ.


RESULTS
The study population was divided in three groups according to the score achieved in IPAQ questionnaire: low PA (n = 39), moderate PA (n = 230) and high PA (n = 231). Children with high PA compared to those with low PA exhibited higher systolic BP and pulse pressure levels, greater prevalence of prehypertension/hypertension status, while heart rate was significantly lower as the level of PA rose (P < 0.05 for all cases). Intense PA was positively correlated to systolic BP (r = 0.139, P = 0.003) and pulse pressure (r = 0.22, P = 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Intense PA is associated with higher systolic BP, pulse pressure levels and lower heart rate in healthy young adolescents. PA should be practiced at a moderate intensity level in everyday life.
First Cardiology Clinic, University of Athens, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece. ktsioufis@hippocratio.gr
Costas
C
Tsioufis
Stella
S
Kyvelou
Dimitris
D
Tsiachris
Panagiotis
P
Tolis
Giorgos
G
Hararis
Nikos
N
Koufakis
Theodora
T
Psaltopoulou
Demosthenes
D
Panagiotakos
Peter
P
Kokkinos
Christodoulos
C
Stefanadis
D000293:Adolescent; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006115:Greece; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors