High levels of blood pressure among Brazilian overweight and obese children and adolescents

Background: Arterial hypertension (AH) is a growing problem globally, bringing various health consequences. Numerous surveys show that the risk of AH is higher in overweight and obese individuals than in eutrophic ones. However, the number of data that investigates blood pressure in obese pediatric populations is still small. Therefore, this study aims to assess the prevalence of hypertension in overweight and obese children and adolescents. Methods:Retrospective cross-sectional study with children and adolescents from two health services in different regions of Brazil and distinct socioeconomic profiles. All children and adolescents seen between 1998-2020, aged 5-17 years, with a body mass index greater than +1 standard deviation (Z-score), were enrolled in the study. Blood pressure was measured once with the patient lying down and at rest. American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines were used to classify the patient’s blood pressure levels. Results: 691 patients were evaluated (49% male). Of these, 47.6% had hypertension. The prevalences of hypertension among overweight and obese subjects were 38.8% and 51.5% (p = 0.002), respectively. In addition, obese people were 1.67 times more likely to have hypertension than overweight people. Males had a higher prevalence of hypertension (52.1% vs. 43.3%; p = 0.002) and were 1.3 times more likely to have high blood pressure values. Conclusion: The prevalence of hypertension was high in overweightand obese children and adolescents from two pediatric outpatient clinics. Males and subjects with obesity were at significantly higher risk of having hypertension.