A Longitudinal Study of Overweight, Elevated Blood Pressure, and Acanthosis Nigricans Among Low-Income Middle School Students

Abstract

This longitudinal study examined the rates of overweight, elevated blood pressure, acanthosis nigricans, and their associated factors in third through fifth grade students over 4 years. Participants consisted of 279 students who participated in health screenings in 2002 and 2006. Hispanic students had significantly higher rates of overweight and acanthosis nigricans compared to White students. There was a sharp increase in elevated blood pressure from 2002 to 2006 among obese children. While 20% of the matched obese students were above the 90th percentile in 2002, 82% of the same students were above the 90th percentile in 2006. After controlling for sex, ethnicity, and grade, preadolescent obesity in 2002 continued to be a significant factor associated with elevated blood pressure and acanthosis nigricans in 2006. These findings demonstrate that prevention and treatment of obesity during preadolescence is critical for the prevention of elevated high blood pressure in early adolescence.