Blood pressure and nutritional status in students attending state and urban secondary schools in La Plata's suburbs

Abstract

Introduction: This study examines the relationship between blood pressure (BP) and nutritional status in adolescents attending public urban secondary schools in the suburbs of La Plata, considering both hypertension (HTN) and pre-hypertension (pre-HTN) as variables of interest. Materials and Methods: A total of 655 students aged 12 to 18 years from urban public secondary schools were evaluated. Weight, height, waist circumference, and BP were measured using standardized methods. Nutritional status was determined according to WHO cut-off points, and BP was assessed based on the Consensus on Cardiovascular Prevention in Childhood and Adolescence. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS and R Studio, employing chi-square tests, ANOVA, and binary logistic regression. Results: 18.1% of the adolescents presented BP alterations: 8.7% with HTN and 9.5% with pre-HTN. HTN was more prevalent among males and those with overweight or obesity. Obesity increased the likelihood of pre-HTN by 4.4 times and HTN by 2.8 times. Conclusion: the high prevalence of elevated BP in adolescents and its strong association with overweight and obesity highlight the need for preventive interventions. Promoting healthy lifestyles from an early age is crucial to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases in the future