Epidemiology of Obesity and Hypertension in School Adolescents Aged 15–17 from the Region of Central Poland—A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence of abnormal weight and anthropometric parameters along with abnormal blood pressure values in adolescents in Poland. Anthropometric measurements were taken in the studied age group and the correlation between these values and blood pressure values and the diagnosis of hypertension was analyzed. The main aim of the study was to characterize the particular age group in the selected population: 690 students aged 15–17 years were examined. Blood pressure and anthropometric values including height, weight, circumferences of the hips, abdomen and arms, as well as skinfolds on the back of the arm, below the scapula and the stomach, were taken. The following indexes were calculated: WHR (waist to hip ratio), WHtR (waist to height ratio), BAI (body adiposity index-hip to height ratio) and BMI (body mass index). Mean SBP (systolic blood pressure) was 112.3 (standard deviation (SD) 12.2) mmHg, and DBP (diastolic blood pressure) was 66.9 (SD 6.9) mmHg. The prevalence of hypertension in the studied group was 5.8% (3.2% boys, 2.6% girls) and prehypertension was present in 4.4% (1.6% boys, 2.8% girls). The prevalence of excess body weight was 23.6%-obesity 11.3% (40 girls, 27 boys) and overweight 12.3% (50 girls, 34 boys). Correlations between BMI and waist, hip and arm circumference, subscapular and abdominal skinfold thickness, WHtR and BAI were r = 0.86, r = 0.84, r = 0.88, r = 0.81, r = 0.75, r = 0.88 and r = 0.81, respectively (p < 0.05). Significant differences (p < 0.05) of SBP and DBP values, depending on weight category, as defined by BMI, were observed. Abnormal blood pressure values occur in one tenth and abnormal body weight in almost a quarter of the studied population. Obese and overweight children have higher SBP and DBP values compared to children with normal body weight.