Identifying Red Flags

Abstract

Childhood obesity is predictive of adulthood obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease risk. The purpose of this study was to examine BMI for age as an independent risk factor for elevated blood pressure (EBP) and pre-EBP in children, controlling for sex, race/ethnicity, and age. The secondary objective was to identify associations among BMI, BP, race/ethnicity, and sex. EBP was defined as having a BP ≥95th percentile for age, gender, and height; measurements ≥90th percentile were considered indicative of pre-EBP. The study sample included 166 fifth-grade students from 5 low-income elementary schools in northern California. It was found that 32% of students were either overweight ( ≥85th percentile BMI for age) or obese ( ≥95th percentile BMI for age), with significantly higher rates (55%) among Hispanic children (P < .01). Also, 22% of students presented with pre-EBP/EBP. Obese students were more likely than normal-weight students to present with a systolic pre-EBP reading (P < .05). Overweight and obese students were more likely than normal-weight students to present with a diastolic pre-EBP reading (P < .05). BMI is independently predictive of EBP. Fitness testing with anthropometric measurements should incorporate BP screenings for students with a BMI ≥85th percentile.