Elevated arterial blood pressure and body mass index among Nigerian preschool children population

Abstract

BackgroundArterial blood pressure tends to rise with growth and development. Elevated blood pressure (EBP) in children usually occurs during the first two decades of life, and the children with hypertension tend to grow into adulthood with the high level of blood pressure. The prevalence of hypertension in children is increasing, the causes likely to be of different combination of factors. In this study we ascertained the prevalence of EBP in pre-school children in Enugu metropolis, South-East Nigeria and also determined its association with some factors like the Body Mass Index (BMI), urinalysis finding, family history, gender, age and socioeconomic class.MethodA Stratified method of sampling was used to select subjects from registered nursery schools (Pre- elementary school) within Enugu metropolis. Physical examination of the recruited pupils was done with emphasis on arterial blood pressure, anthropometric measurements and urinalysis.ResultSix hundred and thirty children (630) were studied out of which 345 (54.8%) were males and 285 (45.2%) were females. Sustained EBP (mainly systolic) were recorded in 12 pupils (1.9%) giving a prevalence of 1.9% of the pre-school population. The twelve (1.9%) pupils were all 5 years of age (p value = 0.001) and 11 (1.72%) of them were of under-weight BMI. The prevalence of obesity is 0.5% and that of under-weight is 92% of the studied population. There is no association between EBP and obesity (p value = 0.679). All the pupils with EBP had protein-free urine and no hematuria.ConclusionsEBP and under-weight malnutrition is common in children in 5 years age group. EBP in preschool children is not influenced by their body mass index, urinalysis finding, gender, family history of hypertension or socioeconomic class.

Current Prevalence Pattern of Hypertension in Nigeria: A Systematic Review

“…Forty-four (44) independent studies [ 27 , 33 – 77 ] were included in this review. These studies were published between the years 1968 and 2015.…”

“…These studies were published between the years 1968 and 2015. 41 studies [ 27 , 33 – 77 ] were conducted across the 6 geopolitical zones of Nigeria and 3 studies [ 37 , 73 , 75 ] were conducted nationally. The numbers of those conducted in the zones are as follows: south- west 15[ 35 – 48 , 54 – 59 , 64 , 67 , 68 ]; south-east 8 [ 27 , 42 , 47 , 51 – 53 , 63 , 66 , 74 ]; south-south 10[ 33 , 45 , 60 – 62 , 65 , 70 – 72 , 76 ]; north-central 4 [ 34 , 46 , 48 , 51 ]; north-east 1[ 49 ] and north-west 4 [ 39 , 40 , 50 , 69 ].…”

“…Studies of prevalence of hypertension in all age groups and both sexes with standard methods of measuring blood pressure were considered [ 26 ]. For studies conducted on younger children (Pre-school age group); studies with hypertension defined as “systolic or diastolic blood Pressure greater than or equal to the 95th percentile for age and gender measured on at least three separate occasions” were included (pp 1) [ 27 ].…”

Prevalence and risk factors for hypertension among school children in Ilorin, Northcentral Nigeria

“…[613] However, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a local study[37] documented that lower socioeconomic status was associated with elevated BP while Okoh and Alikor[11] in Port Harcourt, South-South Nigeria reported a high level of hypertension in school children with a family history of hypertension. A possible explanation for the lack of association between hypertension and family history of hypertension in this study may be the lack of awareness of most parents of their hypertensive status as observed in the recent systematic review.…”

“…The few local studies that evaluated risk factors for hypertension were limited to either the history of hypertension in the family and or the role of obesity/overweight. [1113]…”