Growth-related disappearance of the childhood relationship between height and blood pressure levels.
BACKGROUND
Although there is a positive relationship between height and blood pressure (BP) levels in children, there are no reports regarding the association between height and BP levels in adolescents and adults.


OBJECTIVE
This study examined whether there is an association between height and BP levels in Japanese adolescents.


METHODS
The source population was all fifth (10 and 11-year-olds) and ninth graders (14 and 15-year-olds) who attended 11 elementary schools and five junior high schools in the Iwata area from 2002-2008. School-based screenings were conducted annually by the local government from April to June. Data obtained from health examinations were analysed, including anthropometric measurements and BP levels, for 11 780 children (98.7% of the source population).


RESULTS
Height showed significant positive relationships with systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in childhood and in adolescent males. In contrast, the relationship between height and SBP was significantly weaker in adolescent females than in childhood and there was no significant relationship between height and DBP in adolescent females.


CONCLUSIONS
The relationship between height and SBP was attenuated by development in females and the relationship between height and DBP disappeared.
Department of Public Health, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine , Osaka-Sayama , Japan .
Yuki
Y
Fujita
Katsuyasu
K
Kouda
Harunobu
H
Nakamura
Nobuhiro
N
Nishio
Hiroichi
H
Takeuchi
Masayuki
M
Iki
D000293:Adolescent; D000375:Aging; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001827:Body Height; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male