Prevalence of selected risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in adolescents with overweight and obesity.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of elevated blood pressure values and significant family history with respect to the incidence of cardiovascular diseases in overweight and obese adolescents.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Our study encompassed 4904 adolescents from randomly selected schools from the Wielkopolska province of Poland. Measurements of body height and mass were performed in all the school pupils. The adolescents were qualified to be included in the overweight and obese groups based on the BMI value, using the cut-off points according to Cole's method. Blood pressure measurements were conducted according to the methodology and recommendations of the Fourth Report, with the application of the Polish blood pressure standards. Within the group of students with normal body mass, overweight and obesity, the frequency of higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure and significant family history were calculated, and the relationship between the variables was calculated by means of chi2 test, assuming p<0.05. In order to calculate the odds ratio and the probability of incidence of higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure, the variables significant in the logistic regression model were taken into consideration.

RESULTS

Overweight and obesity was observed in 845 subjects, which made up 17.2% of the population included in the study. Overweight and obesity were significantly more often observed in boys (485 - 22,2%) than in girls (362 - 17.0%) (p<0.05). In boys, the significant family history increases the odds ratio of prevalence of higher systolic blood pressure 1.90 times, obesity - 8.86 times and significant family history combined with obesity - 16.85 times, in comparison with the boys who have normal body mass and no significant family history. Obesity in girls increases the odds ratio of prevalence of higher systolic blood pressure by 9.24 times. Obesity in boys increases the odds ratio of prevalence of higher diastolic blood pressure by 5.88 and in obese girls the odds ratio of elevated diastolic blood pressure are 4.17 times higher.

CONCLUSIONS

1. Obesity and positive family history in pupils of both genders considerably increased the probability of elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure occurrence. This obliges to: - perform further medical diagnostics, towards identification of other risk-factors of cardiovascular diseases; - to qualify such adolescents to "groups of increased risk" (this information should be entered in the school medical records).