[Arterial pressure and obesity. Studies in children]

The relationship between obesity and hypertension is well documented within the literature. It has been demonstrated that among hypertensive children and adolescents a greater percentage are obese; among children who are obese arterial blood pressure is higher and there is a greater incidence of hypertension. As part of a prospective study of arterial blood pressure 176 children were studied of ranging in age from 5 to 8 years. The correlation between K1 and other parameters indicating the degree of obesity was calculated. The best correlation score was found using the ponderal index (r = .53; p--.001). Body weight as well as the thickness of the albow crease showed a similar correlation with blood pressure (r = .50; p--.001). The correlation with the index for ideal weight expressed as a percentage representing the excess or deficit as compared to the ideal weight by age, sex, and heighth was also statistically significant, although the r-socre was less (r = .37; p--.01). These data confirm a positive and significant relationship between K1 and indices for obesity.