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- Title
Overweight and blood pressure: results from the examination of a selected group of adolescents in northern Italy.
- Authors
Turconi G; Maccarini L; Bazzano R; Roggi C; Turconi, G; Maccarini, L; Bazzano, R; Roggi, C
- Abstract
<bold>Objective: </bold>The aim of the present study was to investigate blood pressure (BP) levels and their relationship with different indices of body fat in a group of adolescents, in order to evaluate the prevalence of hypertension and plan preventive and corrective strategies.<bold>Design: </bold>Cross-sectional study in primary care.<bold>Setting: </bold>All high schools in the Aosta Valley region, northern Italy.<bold>Subjects: </bold>Five hundred and thirty-two adolescents of both sexes, aged 15.4 (standard deviation 0.7) years. The following parameters were measured: body weight, body height, body mass index (BMI), four skinfold thicknesses, body fat mass, waist and hip circumferences and BP.<bold>Results: </bold>BMI data indicated a high prevalence of overweight subjects in both sexes, but higher in males, while the prevalence rate of obese adolescents was lower. Of the total, 11.8 % of subjects suffered from systolic hypertension, while 6.9 % suffered from diastolic hypertension. In linear correlation analysis, BMI and all adiposity indices, except waist:hip ratio, were found to be significantly associated (P ranging between 0.05 and 0.001) with both systolic BP and diastolic BP in both sexes, with r ranging between 0.152 and 0.359. Multiple regression analysis with the stepwise method showed BMI and body fat mass to have the strongest association (P < 0.001) with BP, with r ranging between 0.275 and 0.359.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>Unless reversed, these conditions are worrying and predict the possible development of cardiovascular disease in adulthood. There is a pressing need to develop a comprehensive medical and nutrition plan, together with preventive and corrective strategies, in school programmes.
- Publication
Public Health Nutrition, 2008, Vol 11, Issue 9, p905
- ISSN
1368-9800
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1017/s1368980007001255