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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Association between anthropometry and high blood pressure in a representative sample of preschoolers in madrid
Gloria Santos-Beneit1, Mercedes Sotos-Prieto1, Stuart Pocock2
1Área de Epidemiología y Genética de Poblaciones, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain; Fundación SHE, Barcelona, Spain.
Insights
Obesity and high blood pressure are more prevalent in older preschoolers. Using sex- and age-specific criteria improves obesity classification in children, aiding cardiovascular health promotion.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric cardiovascular health
- Public health interventions
- Childhood obesity and hypertension
Background:
- Cardiovascular health promotion in early childhood is crucial.
- Preschool-aged children are susceptible to obesity and high blood pressure.
- Effective classification of childhood obesity is essential for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of obesity and high blood pressure in preschoolers.
- To compare different criteria for classifying childhood obesity.
- To examine the relationship between obesity metrics and blood pressure in young children.
Main Methods:
- A cluster-randomized controlled trial involving 2011 preschoolers (aged 3-5 years) in Madrid.
- Measurements included weight, height, skinfold thickness, waist circumference, and blood pressure.
- Obesity was assessed using six different criteria, including sex- and age-specific cutoffs.
Main Results:
- Overall prevalence of high blood pressure (≥ 90th percentile) was 20%.
- Obesity prevalence ranged from 2% at age 3 to 8% at age 5.
- Sex- and age-specific obesity criteria demonstrated better agreement with reference standards compared to a generalized cutoff.
Conclusions:
- Older preschoolers exhibited higher rates of obesity and high blood pressure.
- Sex- and age-specific criteria provide a more accurate classification of childhood obesity.
- Higher body mass index tertiles were associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure.
Introduction And Objectives:
Program SI! is a multi-level, school-based intervention for the promotion of cardiovascular health from early childhood. The aim of this paper is to characterize the prevalence of obesity and high blood pressure in the preschoolers enrolled in the study, and to compare various criteria for classifying obesity.
Methods:
The study was a cluster-randomized controlled intervention trial including 24 state schools in Madrid (Spain). Weight, height, triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses, waist circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured in 2011 children (1009 boys and 1002 girls) aged 3 to 5 years (3.7 [0.9]). Body mass index and blood pressure were classified by corresponding task force criteria. Obesity was studied by 6 different criteria. Associations of body mass index, body weight, body fat, and waist circumference on blood pressure were examined, and the risk of high blood pressure in relation to tertiles of body mass index was calculated.
Results:
The prevalence of obesity according to the International Obesity Task Force varied from 2% at age 3 to 8% at age 5, and the overall prevalence of high blood pressure (≥ 90th percentile) was 20%. Sex- and age-specific criteria for obesity showed better agreement with the reference than a single generalized cutoff. The risk of high blood pressure was higher for the highest tertile of body mass index distribution.
Conclusions:
The highest prevalence of obesity and high blood pressure was found among older children. The classification of obesity in children was more accurate using sex- and age-specific cutoffs.
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