Prevalence of central obesity in a large sample of adolescents from public schools in Recife, Brazil

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence and association of central obesity (CO) and hypertension and its associations with alcohol intake, smoking and physical activity in adolescents. Subjects and methods: Cross sectional study in 1,824 students from 29 public schools in Recife. Results: 89.6% were normal weight, 6.7% overweight and 3.7% obese; 77.2% were normotensive, 5.9% prehypertensive and 16.9% hypertensive; CO was 10.2% when the 90 th percentile was used as cutoff and 25.2% when the 75 th percentile was used. There was a higher likelihood of central obesity among students aged 18 to 20 years, smoking and alcohol intake. The probability of hypertension increases if the subject is male, has a waist circumference (WC) ≥ 90, WC ≥ 75 and does not practice physical activity. Conclusions: A high prevalence of CO and hypertension was found in adolescents. CO was more frequent in students aged 18 to 20 years, smokers and with alcohol intake and hypertension was associated with male, CO and no physical activity. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2010;54(7):607-11 Keywords Central Obesity; Adolescent Health; Alcohol; Blood Pressure; Physical Activity; Smoking RESUMO Objetivo: Determinar a prevalência e a associação de obesidade central (CO) e hipertensão e suas associações com consumo de álcool, fumo e atividade física em adolescentes. Sujeitos e métodos: Estudo de corte transversal em 1.824 estudantes de 29 escolas públicas em Recife. Resultados: 89,6% com peso normal, 6,7% sobrepeso e 3,7% obesidade; 77,2% normotensos, 5,9% pré-hipertensos e 16,9% hipertensos; 10,2% de CO quando utilizado percentil 90 como ponto de corte e de 25,2% quando utilizado percentil 75. Houve maior probabilidade de CO entre os estudantes com 18 a 20 anos, fumantes e consumo de álcool. A probabilidade de hipertensão aumenta nos homens, com WC (waist circumference) ≥ 90, WC ≥ 75 e sem atividade física. Conclusões: Elevada prevalência de CO e hipertensão foi encontrada em adolescentes. CO foi mais frequente nos estudantes com 18 a 20 anos, fumantes, e consumo de álcool e hipertensão foram associados com sexo masculino, CO e ausência de atividade física. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2010;54(7):607-11 Descritores

Prevalence and predictors of alcohol and tobacco consumption in adolescence. [Preval y factores de predic. de los comport. de riesgo en la adolesc.: el papel de la condición de peso, condic. clínica y dimensiones psicosoc.]

“…Thus, our findings support previous research in which overweight in adolescents was not associated with alcohol consumption (Peltzer & Pengpid, 2011), but our findings contrast with other studies that observed this association (Croezen, et al, 2009;Griz et al, 2010). As highlighted by Alfonso and colleagues (2009) the intimate relationships between peers is also a powerful predictor of youth's involvement on the use of alcohol.…”

Abdominal obesity and cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents, are we aware of their relevance?

“…This association has also been established by several researchers [28,61,94,[100][101][102][103][104][105][106]. Some of these studies showed that this association was stronger in boys than in girls [104][105][106], and the association of AO with systolic hypertension have been seen more frequently than with diastolic hypertension [107,108]. In a recent systematic review by Kelishadi et al, they found only one study showing that total body fat is a stronger predictor of elevated BP than AO in children and adolescents [28,109].…”

Influence of visceral and subcutaneous fat in bone mineral density of obese adolescents

“…In a recent trial with adolescent students, high prevalence of central obesity and hypertension was observed. Central obesity was more frequent in those aged 18 to 20 years, in smokers, and in those that drank alcohol (20).…”