[Blood pressure in a population of youngsters and adults observed after 17 years]

Many studies have assessed the blood pressure tracking among children and adolescents, but the results have been controversial. This study assessed the blood pressure tracking in 224 Portuguese school children and young adults following them for 17 years. The correlations obtained for systolic and diastolic blood pressure in both sexes are not very high, although positive and statistically significant. On the other hand, there was a stronger correlation between anthropometric variables and blood pressure and indices of obesity.