Prevalence of Hypertension in Children from Public Schools

Abstract

Background: There is a discrepancy between protocols used for the diagnosis of childhood hypertension, and the most recommended one is the measurement of blood pressure in at least three different moments.Objective: To identify the prevalence of hypertension in children, and to associate it with the nutritional status variable.Methods: This is a longitudinal study, which included all children aged 7 to 10 years enrolled in public schools and had the authorization of their parents/guardians, totaling 722 children. In the first evaluation, the child's family answered a questionnaire, and the child was submitted to anthropometric and hemodynamic evaluation. Blood pressure was measured three times at three different times. Children who had high blood pressure at the first moment were reassessed at a second time; those who persisted with high blood pressure were re-evaluated at a third moment. Results:The prevalence of high blood pressure at the first moment was 8.1%, being 3.2% in the second and 2.1% in the third. The nutritional status was significantly associated with the increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressures, being higher in overweight and obese children. The highest prevalence of high blood pressure was found in children classified as obese, at all moments. Conclusion:By performing blood pressure measurements of children at different moments, it was possible to reduce false-positive cases for arterial hypertension. The nutritional status was directly associated with the increase in blood pressure values. Performing the measurements in routine consultations becomes essential for diagnosis and early intervention. (Int J Cardiovasc Sci. 2017;30(1):42-51)

High blood pressure in children attending pediatric clinic at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

“…In a study carried out in Brazil, in which BP was measured 3 times, 2 weeks apart for children aged between 7 and 10 years, the prevalence of hypertension was 8.1%, 3.2% and 2.1%, respectively. [20] In another Brazilian study, a relatively high prevalence of hypertension was reported (13.8%). [21] In a study carried out in the USA, the prevalence of hypertension in school-aged children was 19.4%.…”

“…This finding agrees with several previously published studies carried out worldwide. [21202426] Moreover, Mavrakanas et al ., 2009, observed that obese children had a 5–6-fold higher risk of hypertension than normal children. [27] Obese children might also become victims of bullying, which ultimately results in low self-esteem, anxiety, and shyness, and stress,[20] causing such chronic medical conditions as hypertension.…”

Can the Consumption of Ultra-Processed Food Be Associated with Anthropometric Indicators of Obesity and Blood Pressure in Children 7 to 10 Years Old?

“…However, the percentage of hypertensive children in the present study follows that observed in Brazil. De Souza et al (2017) [4], showed that 2.1% of children aged 7 to 10 years in public schools of Vitória, Espírito Santo were hypertensive. Moreover, hypertension was reported in 5% of boys and in 3% of girls from a Iranian study with 6-18 years old children [62].…”

“…The worldwide prevalence of SAH in children and adolescents was 4% according to a meta-analysis performed by Song et al [2], who also observed a trend of increasing prevalence over the past two decades [2]. National estimates for SAH range from 2.1% to 8.6% in schoolchildren [4][5][6]. In addition, it is known that obesity and high blood pressure in childhood can persist into adolescence [7] and adulthood [8][9][10].…”

Sobrepeso e obesidade associados à pressão arterial elevada: um estudo seccional em escolares brasileiros

“…A review study on the prevalence of hypertension in Brazilian students found a prevalence of HBP ranging between 2.3% and 40.6% in different regions of the country (6) . More recently, a study carried out with children aged between 7 and 10 years old in public schools in Espírito Santo state found a 25% prevalence of HBP values (13) , demonstrating that Brazilian studies carried out exclusively with school-age children and with the intention of screening for changes in blood pressure are still occasional and infrequent.…”