Cardiovascular risk factors associated with hypertension in children and adolescents students

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The joint analysis of lifestyles that could cause a predisposition to the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood has an important role towards understanding the cardiovascular risk profile of children and teenagers. OBJECTIVE: Investigate the cardiovascular risk factors associated to Systemic Arterial Hypertension (SAH) in schoolchildren of ages between 7 and 14, domiciled in the Cabula/Beiru neighborhood, in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with 162 schoolchildren registered in the public education network of Elementary School I, residents of Distrito Sanitário Cabula Beiru (DSCB), in the city of Salvador, Bahia. Non-conditional, hierarchical multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between the SAH and cardiovascular risk factors, after adjustments for socio-demographic and health factors. RESULTS: The prevalence for arterial hypertension among the schoolchildren was estimated at 23.0% and overweight (OR=4.08; IC95% 1.75 – 9.55), as well as physical inactivity (< 300 min/week) (OR=5.69; IC95% 1.56 – 20.69), inadequate consumption of sugar (OR=2.65; CI95%: 1.01 – 7.00) and soft drinks (OR=3.61; CI95%: 1.28 – 10.13) were the cardiovascular risk factors associated to high blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show inadequate eating habits and cardiovascular risk factors, especially being overweight or obese and being insufficiently active. These results reinforce the need for health promotion and risk prevention programs guided towards the younger population.  We recommend the adoption of weight control strategies and the stimulation of regular practice of physical activities in schools, as well as health education actions in Elementary Schools.