title: Obesity and arterial hypertension in schoolchildren from Santa Cruz do Sul--RS, Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To verify the prevalence of obesity and hypertension in schoolchildren from Santa Cruz do Sul - RS, Brazil, in 2005 and 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed with two consecutive cross-sectional measurements, consisting of a stratified cluster sample, totaling 414 students, aged between 7 and 17 years, of which 215 (51.9%) were males and 199 (48.1%) were females. Obesity was assessed by body mass index (BMI) and percentage of body fat (%BF). Hypertension was measured by blood pressure values, both systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  BMI assessment showed 18.6% and 22.3% of excess weight in males and 22.6% and 14.6% in females (in 2005 and 2008, respectively). Regarding obesity, the prevalence was 4.7% in both years for males and a reduction from 12.6% to 9.0% was observed in females. When analyzing the difference between assessments, there was significance in the BMI classification (p = 0.022) and %BF (p = 0.017) only in females. Statistically significant changes in SBP were found only in males (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The levels of excess weight, obesity, and %BF in females, as well as the increased levels of systolic blood pressure in males, demonstrate the need for early intervention through more effective public health campaigns.
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Éboni Marília
authors.initials: ÉM
authors.lastname: Reuter
authors.forename: Cézane Priscila
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Reuter
authors.forename: Leandro Tibiriçá
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Burgos
authors.forename: Miriam Beatris
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Reckziegel
authors.forename: Fúlvio Borges
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Nedel
authors.forename: Isabella Martins de
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Albuquerque
authors.forename: Hildegard Hedwig
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Pohl
authors.forename: Miria Suzana
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Burgos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence