Association between risk factors for hypertension and the Nursing Diagnosis overweight in adolescents

To identify associations between the risk factors for hypertension and the nursing diagnosis of overweight in adolescents.

Cross-sectional study conducted in 2013 with 347 teenagers attending schools in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, who answered a form about the socioeconomic profile, physical activity, eating habits and family history of disease and who underwent physical examination. For analytical analysis, two groups were formed: students with the Nursing Diagnosis overweight (n=100) and students without this diagnosis (n=247).

the risk factors for hypertension associated with the Nursing Diagnosis were: abdominal obesity (OR=40.0), food intake rich in sugar and fat (OR=40.0), family history of hypertension (OR=6.9), obesity and diabetes (OR=2.0), abnormal systolic and diastolic blood pressure (OR=5.5).

the risk factors for hypertension that presented association with the Nursing Diagnosis overweight were abdominal obesity, eating habits, family history of diseases and abnormal blood pressure. These findings may contribute to prevent hypertension in adolescents, in that it directs the gaze of nurses to develop effective measures to address these risk factors.