title: Elevated blood pressure and obesity in childhood: a cross-sectional evaluation of 4,609 schoolchildren.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence of obesity in children is increasing worldwide, primarily in urbanized, high-income countries, and hypertension development is a detrimental effect of this phenomenon.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated the prevalence of excess weight and its association with high blood pressure (BP) in schoolchildren.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here 4,609 male and female children, aged 6 to 11 years, from 24 public and private schools in Maringa, Brazil, were evaluated. Nutritional status was assessed by body mass index (BMI) according to cutoff points adjusted for sex and age. Blood pressure (BP) levels above 90th percentile for gender, age and height percentile were considered elevated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of excess weight among the schoolchildren was 24.5%; 16.9% were overweight, and 7.6% were obese. Sex and socioeconomic characteristics were not associated with elevated BP. In all age groups, systolic and diastolic BP correlated with BMI and waist and hip measurements, but not with waist-hip ratio. The prevalence of elevated BP was 11.2% in eutrophic children, 20.6% in overweight children [odds ratio (OR), 1.99; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.61-2.45], and 39.7% in obese children (OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 4.23-6.89).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obese and overweight children had a higher prevalence of elevated BP than normal-weight children. Our data confirm that the growing worldwide epidemic of excess weight and elevated BP in schoolchildren may also be ongoing in Brazil.
authors: Pontíficia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors: Caroline Filla
authors: CF
authors: Rosaneli
authors: Pontíficia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors: Cristina Pellegrio
authors: CP
authors: Baena
authors: Pontíficia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors: Flavia
authors: F
authors: Auler
authors: Pontíficia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors: Alika Terumi Arasaki
authors: AT
authors: Nakashima
authors: Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors: Edna Regina
authors: ER
authors: Netto-Oliveira
authors: Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors: Amauri Bássoli
authors: AB
authors: Oliveira
authors: Pontíficia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors: Luiz César
authors: LC
authors: Guarita-Souza
authors: Pontíficia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors: Marcia
authors: M
authors: Olandoski
authors: Pontíficia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors: José Rocha
authors: JR
authors: Faria-Neto
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio