TITLE:
Blood Pressure Profile of Apparently Healthy Primary School Children in Delta State, Nigeria: Impact of Social Factors and Anthropometric Variables
AUTHORS:
Obinna Ajaegbu, Bertilla Uzoma Ezeonwu, Clifford Okike, Uzoamaka Vivian Muoneke, Henrietta Uchenna Okafor
KEYWORDS:
Hypertension, Children, Blood Pressure, School
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.10 No.3,
September
28,
2020
ABSTRACT: Background: Systemic hypertension in children is one of the rising public health
problems because of its attendant significant morbidity and mortality. Despite
the rising prevalence of this problem, it is often under-reported as most of
the attention has been focused on hypertension in adults with not much
concerted effort made in tackling this problem in children. Aim: This
study is aimed at determining the prevalence of hypertension and possible risk
factors for its development and their relationship to hypertension among
healthy primary school children in Asaba, Delta State. Subjects and Methods:
This was a cross-sectional descriptive study involving 400 primary school
students in Asaba. Variables such as weight, height, Body Mass Index (BMI), and
blood pressure were measured using standard methods and the children
categorized for hypertension and obesity using the Fourth Task Force Report and
WHO BMI chart respectively. Result: The overall prevalence of
hypertension was 3.5% and pre-hypertension 12.5%. The prevalence of
hypertension increased from 2.4% in childhood to 12.5% in mid adolescents. Of
the 14 subjects with hypertension, 12.5% were obese while 14.3% were
overweight. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure of subjects in
public schools was higher than their counterparts in private schools. Prevalence
of hypertension in children was independent of the socioeconomic status and the
type of school attended by the children unlike obesity and presence of
proteinuria which appeared to be influenced by these variables. Conclusion: Hypertension
was observed to be common in the study subjects. It appeared to be more among
obese children and those in their mid adolescent period.