title: Excess weight, anthropometric variables and blood pressure in schoolchildren aged 10 to 18 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of hypertension among children and adolescents is estimated to range between 1% and 13%. Excess weight and central obesity are related to blood pressure levels in adults, and may be important in the early pathogenesis of SH when present in childhood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the association between anthropometric variables and blood pressure levels in schoolchildren from the 5th and 8th grades, and to identify which parameter was more strongly correlated with blood pressure levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Contemporary cross-sectional study with probabilistic population-based cluster sampling of schoolchildren enrolled from the 5th to the 8th grades in public elementary schools of Porto Alegre. Data on familial risk factors and anthropometry were collected. Statistical analysis included correlations and cluster-adjusted confidence intervals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of participants was 12.57 (± 1.64) years, and 55.2% of them were females. Abnormal blood pressure levels were found in 11.3% of the sample and borderline values, in 16.2%. Among the anthropometric variables analyzed, hip circumference was the one with the strongest correlation with increased blood pressure (r = 0.462, p < 0.001), followed by waist circumference (r = 0.404, p < 0.001) and abdominal skinfold (r = 0.291, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed an association of waist circumference and skinfolds with increased blood pressure levels in the schoolchildren of the sample. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that early measurements of blood pressure, and waist and hip circumferences become a routine in health services in order to prevent this condition.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Vânia Ames
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Schommer
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Cardiologia, Fundação Universitária de Cardiologia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Sandra Mari
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Barbiero
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Cardiologia, Fundação Universitária de Cardiologia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Cláudia Ciceri
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Cesa
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Cardiologia, Fundação Universitária de Cardiologia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Anelise Damiani
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Cardiologia, Fundação Universitária de Cardiologia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Lucia Campos
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Pellanda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution