256 PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF ELEVATED BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG CHILDREN AGED 3-18 IN BEIJING, CHINA

Abstract

Background: Elevated blood pressure (BP) in children and adolescents increases future risk of cardiovascular disease. The study aimed to identify the prevalence of elevated BP and risk factors among children aged 3 to 18 years from Beijing. Methods: A representative sample of 20 780 children (10 398 boys, 50%), aged 3 to18 years old, completed weight, height, waist and BP measurements in Beijing 2004. Elevated BP was defined as systolic and/or diastolic BP greater than or equal to the 95th age- and sex-specific percentile for Chinese children according to the 2010 Chinese guidelines for the management of hypertension. Three types of obesity including central obesity, peripheral obesity and combined obesity and the non-obese were classified with combined use of Chinese body mass index and waist circumference criteria. Results: 1907 (9.2%) children (10.0% boys and 8.4% girls) with elevated BP were identified, and their main trait was high systolic BP levels, especially in boys. As the non-obese group reference, odds ratios (95%CI) of elevated BP were 3.00(2.38∼3.77), 4.22(2.97∼5.99) and 9.32(8.21∼10.58) in central obesity, peripheral obesity and combined obesity, respectively. Rural area, male, age, sexual maturation, and parental history of hypertension were also associated with elevated BP. Conclusions: The prevalence of elevated BP among children of Beijing is 8.2%. Not only peripheral obesity but also central obesity defined by waist circumference is independently associated with elevated BP. To measure BP or waist for children over 3 years old should be strong advocated to prevent the growing hypertension epidemic. Reference Leung LC, Sung RY, So HK, Wong SN, Lee KW, Lee KP, Yam MC, Li SP, Yuen SF, Chim S, Chan KK, Luk D. Prevalence and risk factors for hypertension in Hong Kong Chinese adolescents: waist circumference predicts hypertension, exercise decreases risk. Arch Dis Child. 2011,96(9):804-809. Acknowledgments: This work was supported by the grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China (81172746), the Key Projects in the National Science and Technology Pillar Program during the Twelfth Five-Year Plan Period (2012BAI03B03) from China Ministry of Science and Technology, the Beijing Key Science and Technology Program (D111100000611002) from Beijing Municipal science and technology Commission, Beijing Health System Leading Talent Grant (2009–1-08) to Dr MI.Elevated BP was defined as SBP and/or DBP greater than or equal to the 95th age- and sex-specific percentile for Chinese children and adolescents according to the 2010 Chinese guidelines for the management of hypertension. BP, blood pressure; SBP, systolic blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure