3114.0: Monday, October 22, 2001 - 2:30 PM

Abstract #29643

A community based case-control study of high diastolic blood pressure in school-age children in Fort Worth, Texas

Ximena Urrutia-Rojas, DrPH1, John A Menchaca, MD2, Naveed Ahmad, MD1, Marco Marruffo, MD, MPH3, and Manuel Bayona, MD, PhD3. (1) Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Univ of N. Texas - School of Public Health at Fort Worth, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699, (2) Cook Children's Network, 709 West Leuda, Fort Worth, TX 76104, (3) Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of North Texas, School of Public Health, 3500 Camp Bowie Boulevard, Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699, , mmarruffo@hsc.unt.edu

Obesity in children is a public health problem and a major risk factor for high blood pressure. This study identified and assessed factors associated with high diastolic blood pressure in local children. Risk factors for HDBP may be different in different populations. In addition, HDBP is an important indicator of hypertension in adults. This research was conducted in a dataset of 1,066 children from local schools. Children’s ages ranged between 8 and 13 years, and 52% were females. Children with HDBP(higher than the median DBP) were compared to low DBP(equal or lower than the median DBP) children in regards to selected factors. The crude and age, gender and obesity adjusted (binary logistic regression) odds ratio was used as a measure of association. Age was found weakly associated with HDBP (OR=1.2, p=0.153). Male gender was not found significantly associated with HDBP (OR=0.96, p=0.748). Obesity was associated with HDBP(OR=2.5, 95%CI1.9,3.2). As expected, high systolic blood pressure was found associated with HDBP OR=3.3 (95%CI 2.5, 4.2). Acanthosis nigricans was associated with HDBP OR=1.6 (95%CI1.1,2.5). Watching TV more than 2 hours a day was associated to HDBP OR=1.4 (1.1, 1.9) Being Hispanic, more active children at home, eating at the school cafeteria, eating snacks and sweets every day were not found importantly associated with HDBP. Therefore, the potential association of HDBP with these variables could be explained by their association with age and obesity (confounders). These findings provide a better understanding of the local epidemiology of children’s HDBP.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the presentation the participant will be able to: 1. Identify high diastolic blood pressure as an indicator of “tracking” for hypertension in adults. 2. Identify high blood pressure as a potential public health problem in children. 3. Describe the basic epidemiology of high diastolic blood pressure in children. 4. List major factors associated to high blood pressure in children. 5. Discuss the importance of the early detection of high blood pressure in children

Keywords: Hypertension, Children

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.

The 129th Annual Meeting of APHA