Abstract
Obesity has been shown to be an important factor in hypertension of adults. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between blood pressures and measures of body size and obesity in the school age. In two school screens in 1971 and 1973, 6005 children were examined, of which 2872 were screened in both surveys. Height, weight, blood pressures and triceps skinfolds were obtained. Using deviations from regression, data were age/sex standardized. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures were correlated with weight (r=0.41 for SBP and 0.29 for DBP). Similar correlations were observed for height, skinfold and relative weight. Follow-up SBP was correlated with initial SBP (r=0.38), initial weight (r=0.32), and change in weight (r=0.24). A multiple regression equation based on initial SBP explained 14% of the variability in follow-up, while an equation based on initial SBP and weight and change in weight explained 22%. The other variables did not add to the prediction. Change in SBP was correlated with initial SBP (r=-0.51), and change in weight (r=0.17); 26% of the variability in the change in SBP over 2 years was explained by initial SBP alone, while 33% was explained by an equation based on initial SBP, weight and change in weight. Similar results were observed for diastolic blood pressure. These data show that significant portions of the change of blood pressures in children can be explained by relative changes in body weight.
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Clarice, W., Sehrott, H. & Lauer, R. THE EFFECT OF BODY WEIGHT AND ITS CHANGES ON CHILDREN'S BLOOD PRESSURES. Pediatr Res 11, 434 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00390
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00390