Blood pressure and associated factors in a North African adolescent population. a national cross-sectional study in Tunisia

Abstract

Background: In southern and eastern Mediterranean countries, changes in lifestyle and the increasing prevalence of excess weight in childhood are risk factors for high blood pressure (BP) during adolescence and adulthood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the BP status of Tunisian adolescents and to identify associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study in 2005, based on a national, stratified, random cluster sample of 1294 boys and 1576 girls aged 15-19 surveyed in home visits. The socio-economic and behavioral characteristics of the adolescents were recorded. Overweight/obesity were assessed by Body Mass Index (BMI) from measured height and weight (WHO, 2007), abdominal obesity by waist circumference (WC). BP was measured twice during the same visit. Associations with other covariates were weaker: for boys, hypertension increased somewhat with sedentary lifestyle, while elevated BP was slightly more prevalent among urban girls and those not attending school. Conclusion: Within the limits of BP measurement on one visit only, these results suggest that Tunisian adolescents of both genders are likely not spared from early elevated BP. Though further assessment is likely needed, the strong association with overweight/obesity observed suggests that interventions aimed at changing lifestyles to reduce this main risk factor may also be appropriate for the prevention of elevated BP.

Elevated Blood Pressure Among Zimbabwean Urban Primary School Children Aged 5–11 Years

“…Gender differences in the elevated BP among children were influenced by several factors associated with age, weight, height and BMI in the children. Similar findings have been reported elsewhere [24], [27], [31], [40], [41], [17], [44]. A direct relationship between high BP in childhood and subsequent development of the metabolic syndrome in adulthood has been observed [10], [42].…”

“…A finding from this study demonstrates elevated BP among school children which is not a new phenomenon among children in the Southern Africa region. Several similar studies conducted in South Africa, Zambia Nigeria, USA and Spain; [1], [13], [22], [23], [24], [25], [26], [27], among children and adolescents and elsewhere [28], [29], [30], [31], [32] have confirmed the presence of hypertension among children and adolescents of similar ages. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for chronic diseases, heart diseases and stroke in adulthood, [4].…”

Review of the nutrition situation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

“…Available data suggested an increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity amongst school-age children. This was particularly true for the Islamic Republic of Iran (102,103), Lebanon (93), Qatar (104,105), Saudi Arabia (106-108), Tunisia (109,110) and Bahrain (111, 112).…”

Prevalence,awareness and factors associated with hypertension in North West Tanzania

“…Recent literature shows the problem to be higher among individuals over 40 years of age, Africans, and those with a family history of hypertension or diabetes [5–7]. There are number of modifiable, lifestyle factors associated with hypertension including obesity, overweight, cigarette smoking, alcohol, and low physical activity [8–10]. And there are some reports of an association between hypertension and HIV although this may be due to the use of antiretroviral drugs which may cause increased blood pressure [11]…”