Obesity and blood pressure levels of adolescents in Abeokuta, Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
We determined the prevalence of general and central obesity and their relationship with blood pressure levels among adolescents in Abeokuta, Nigeria.


METHODS
We selected 423 adolescents from seven schools in Abeokuta, Nigeria, using a multistage random-sampling technique. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and blood pressures were measured.


RESULTS
Twenty-one (5%) children had general obesity and 109 (24.5%) had central obesity. Of those with general obesity, 20 (95.1%) children were centrally obese. With simple linear regression analysis, BMI and WC explained 10.7 and 8.4%, respectively of the variance in systolic blood pressure (SBP), and 3.6 and 2.7%, respectively of the variance in diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Following logistic regression analysis, BMI was the major factor determining SBP levels (OR 0.8, 95% CI: 0.65-0.99, p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
BMI remains an important anthropometric screening tool for high blood pressure in Nigerian adolescents.
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. senbanjo001@yahoo.com
I O
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Senbanjo
K A
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Oshikoya
D000293:Adolescent; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000502:physiology