• S Rao, A Kanade, and R Kelkar.
• Biometry and Nutrition Group, Agharkar Research Institute, G G Agarkar Road, Pune 411 004, India. raoari@yahoo.com
• Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007 May 1;61(5):633-41.

ObjectivesTo examine the magnitude of overweight and its association with blood pressure (BP) among adolescents.DesignCross-sectional study with all children in age range 9-16 years (n=1146 boys and 1077 girls) from two schools catering to urban affluent high socio-economic class (HSE), for anthropometric measurements by trained investigators and BP measurement by a pediatrician using sphygmomanometer.ResultsThe prevalence of overweight based on conventional body mass index (BMI) cutoff was 27.5% for boys and 20.9% for girls but varied for different indicators. Prevalence of high systolic blood pressure (HSBP) was 12.0% in boys and 9.7% in girls and increased with increasing levels of BMI, weight, triceps skin fold thickness (TSFT) and percent body fat. Mean level of SBP among overweight children was significantly (P<0.001) higher by about 12 mm Hg, whereas that for diastolic blood pressure was higher by 8 mm Hg (P<0.001) as compared to their non-overweight (age, sex-matched) counterparts. This was true in both sexes and for all indicators used for assessing overweight. Prevalence of HSBP increased suddenly beyond BMI value of 20 kg/m2 in boys and 21.5 kg/m2 in girls, beyond TSFT value of 12 mm for boys and 14 mm for girls whereas such cutoffs for body fat were above 25% in both sexes. These cutoffs appear much lower than the conventional ones and therefore indicate the need for validation of conventional cutoffs in different populations.ConclusionsOur findings highlight that BP measurement needs to be a routine part of physical examination in school children, and the use of cutoffs anchored to metabolic risks may be essential for assessment of obesity.

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