Abstract
Aim: The prevalence of hypertension and obesity is increasing worldwide. Recent data on sustained hypertension and obesity among school-going children and adolescents from the state of Kerala, India are limited. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of obesity and hypertension among apparently healthy school going adolescents.
 Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 252 school going adolescents aged 11-16 years (173 boys and 79 girls) selected from two private aided rural schools of Thrissur, District, Kerala, India. Measurements like height, weight, and blood pressure were done using standard guidelines. Guidelines of Indian Academy of Pediatrics and standard guidelines of blood pressure measurement using gender height specific blood pressure percentile charts were used to identify the overweight/obese and pre-hypertensive/ hypertensive adolescents respectively. Analysis was done using SPSS version 27.0. Gender wise differences were checked using chi-square and t-test.
 Results: Among 252 adolescents, 83 (20.7%) were either overweight or obese and pre-hypertensive or hypertensive. The overall prevalence of obesity and overweight was found to be 9.5% and 15.1% respectively. The overall prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension was found to be 15 (6.0%) and 24 (9.5%) respectively. Systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure was found to be statistically lower (P<0.001) among those with normal BMI, than those with overweight or obesity. The mean systolic and diastolic BP was slightly more among boys than girls and it was not statistically significant.
 Conclusion: The high prevalence of hypertension, obesity and the strong association between obesity and high blood pressure seen among school-going adolescents necessitates immediate attention. Strategies should be designed and implemented for prevention, early identification, and treatment of pediatric obesity and hypertension in forestalling the morbidity/mortality from non communicable diseases and its complications.
Highlights
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are collectively responsible for 41 million deaths each year, equivalent to 71% of global all cause mortality and of these 77% are happening in lowand middle-income countries [1]
190 (75.4%) adolescents had normal body mass index (BMI), while 9.5% and 15.1% of the participants were found to obese and overweight
Studies conducted in different parts of India have reported varying prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents
Summary
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are collectively responsible for 41 million deaths each year, equivalent to 71% of global all cause mortality and of these 77% are happening in lowand middle-income countries [1]. A higher than normal body mass index (BMI), is associated with increased morbidity and mortality from coronary heart disease, osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and certain types of cancer [5]. Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and globally accounts for 54% of all strokes and 47% of all cases of ischemic heart disease [6]. The epidemic of obesity when combined with high blood pressure is paralleled by an alarming increase in the incidence of many non communicable diseases including chronic kidney disease, stroke, diabetes and coronary heart disease
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