Blood pressure during adolescence: a study among Belgian adolescents selected from a high cardiovascular risk...

The Belgian province of Luxembourg has a high incidence of cardiovascular (CV) disease according to the MONICA register. Surveys conducted in adults and children have also found high CV risk factor levels in this province.

cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVE OF THE PRESENT STUDY: To collect data about blood pressure (BP) and its determinants in adolescents from this high CV risk population and to analyse their relationship.

1526 adolescents (12-17 years) in 24 secondary schools of the province.

Mean systolic BP levels were 125 mm Hg (sd = 12 mm Hg) and 122 mm Hg (sd = 11 mm Hg) for boys and girls, respectively. Mean diastolic BP was equal to 74 mm Hg (sd = 10 mm Hg) in both genders. Systolic BP increased with age and differed significantly between genders from 15 years onwards. Body fatness indices increased with age except waist-to-hip ratio in girls and triceps skinfold in boys. Regression models including age, anthropometric indices and physical activity explained a small percentage of BP variance (for systolic BP, r2 = 0.21 and 0.12 for boys and girls, respectively). Weight was the first parameter related to BP in correlation and regression analyses.

This study showed high BP and body fatness indices in adolescents from a high CV risk population. The model under study showed a moderate relationship between body fatness and BP. This finding suggests other influences as a genetic component to account for the high levels observed.