Associação entre excesso de peso e pressão arterial elevada em escolares do município de Macaé Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

Body mass is one of the main influencers of pressure levels, especially in children over five years of age. High blood pressure (BP) and overweight are becoming more frequent in child population at the national and global levels. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between overweight and high BP in schoolchildren from six to ten years old in the city of Macaé, Rio de Janeiro. A total of 888 children of both sexes enrolled in nine schools in Macaé participated in the study. Information was collected on body mass, height and BP. Body mass was measured on a portable scale PPS platform and height was obtained with Altura Exata® anthropometer, for further determination and classification of the nutritional status, using the Body Mass Index (BMI), according to WHO (2007). After classification of BMI, the children were separated into two categories: with and without excess weight. The students were weighed and measured without shoes, with light clothes and without ornament on the head. The BP was obtained using OMRON HEM-705 CP® equipment and classified according to the criteria adopted by the Brazilian Society of Cardiology, based on the National High Blood Pressure Education Program (2004), which includes information on sex, age and height / age percentile. Means and standard deviation of continuous variables and frequencies of the categorical variables were calculated. Numerical variables were compared by sex using Student's t-test. The chi-square test was also performed for categorical variables. Logistic regression was used to verify the association of overweight with high BP controlling the confounding variables, including age and sex. The Odds Ratio and 95% confidence interval were determined. In all analyzes the value of p <0.05 was adopted for statistical significance. Overweight was present in 33.8% of schoolchildren, with 37.3% boys and 30.5% girls with this condition. The prevalence of elevated BP was 34% (systolic and / or diastolic). Overweight students had a 156% higher risk of having high BP (OR= 2.56 95% CI= 1.92-3.43 p <0.001) when compared to the eutrophic ones. In overweight boys, the chance of having high BP was OR 3.25 and in overweight girls, the odds of having high BP were OR 2.02, when compared to boys and girls who were not overweight, respectively. The excess weight was positively and significantly associated with the blood pressure of the students studied, demonstrating the need for intervention actions at early ages