Prediction of blood pressure based on anthropometric measurements in adolescents

Abstract

Background

Recently, an important health issue in children is obesity, leading to hypertension. The aim of this study was to determine association of blood pressure with anthropometric variables in adolescents.

Methods

In this study, 1992 adolescents aged 11–18 years old between 2000 and 2007 were included. Cut point of anthropometric indices of waist circumference (WC), waist-to-stature ratio (WSR) and body mass index (BMI) was identified using Youden’s index.

Results

Cut point of BMI for identification of hypertension was 19.69, 25.5, 20.65 and 24.13 for boys at middle and high school, girls at middle and high school, respectively. This measure for WSR was 0.44, 0.50, 0.45 and 0.517 for boys at middle and high school, girls at middle and high school, respectively. Regarding WC, it was 69.50, 96.5, 65.5 and 77.5 for boys at middle and high school, girls at middle and high school, respectively.

Conclusions

In middle school boys, WSR, WC and BMI are associated with DBP but by increasing age, only BMI and weight are associated with DBP. BMI is the consistent anthropometric determinant of DBP. We also observed the relationship between WSR and SBP in boys, which could be applied as a predictive measure.

Keywords:

• Blood pressure
• anthropometric variables
• adolescents
• hypertension
• waist circumference

Acknowledgements

The data of this study was derived from Heart Health Promotion from Childhood (HHPC) project [# 81122], one of ten projects of Isfahan Healthy Heart Program (IHHP). The authors would like to thank the large IHHP team members and the staff of Isfahan Cardiology Research Institute for their cooperation and assistance.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The study procedure was approved by the Medical Research Ethics Committee of the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. The informed consent was obtained children parents.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Author contributions

AKh was a study investigator, ME made substantial contributions to the acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data and MB was involved in the preparation of the manuscript. MT analysed and interpreted data. AB, MKh and JN provided critical revision for intellectual content. All authors read and approved the final manuscript

Competing interests

The authors have no conflict of interest.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Availability of data and material

Data could be made available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.