The prevalence of hypertension in children and adolescents and affecting factors

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of hypertension (HT) has recently increased among children, and factors affecting the development of HT vary between regions; therefore, we aimed to determine the prevalence of high blood pressure (BP) and HT in children and adolescents in our region and risk factors affecting HT.
METHODS: BP measurements were properly conducted in a total of 3170 children and adolescents aged between seven and 17 years in our province. Children’s BP measurements evaluated anthropometrically were also classified under the normograms of the American Academy of Pediatrics-2017 (APP-2017). Statistical analyzes were evaluated regarding gender, age, and anthropometric values.
RESULTS: HT was detected in 4.83% of 1592 children aged between seven and 12 years, and 7.6% of 1578 children aged between 13 and 17 years, with a total rate of 6.21% (n=197). The risks of high BP and HT were found to increase 1.231 times with a one-year increase in age (p<0.001). Likewise, the male gender also increases those risks 2.071 times, compared to the female gender (p<0.001). Compared to underweight participants, the risk of hypertension was observed to increase approximately six times among overweight individuals. Finally, obesity was also found to increase the risk of HT by approximately 26 times, compared to underweight individuals (p<0.001).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: As a result, such effects as malnutrition, increase in age, and male gender were detected as the factors increasing the risk of HT development in children aged between seven and 17 years. The measurement of BP should be a part of routine physical examination in children and adolescents.