Correlation between blood pressure and body mass index in 5–12-year-old children of insured population

Abstract

Background: Childhood hypertension is an increasing problem all over the world; especially, in developing countries, as it has now been shown to be a precursor of adult hypertension. Objective: The objective of this study was to screen the patients presenting in the outpatient department (OPD) with minor illness for the presence of hypertension and its correlation with body mass index (BMI). Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, observational study in which 105 children between 5 and 12 years of age, who presented in pediatrics OPD of a tertiary care hospital, were screened for blood pressure (BP), height, weight, and BMI. A pro forma was designed to include parental BP, diet details, physical activity, and average daily screen time. Their demographic details including BP of parents were recorded in OPD, and lifestyle of the child reflecting on screen time, physical activity, and food habits were recorded in pro forma. The children were later categorized according to their BMI and BP centiles. Results: BP >90th centile was found in 8 (7.6%) of the screened children and BP >90th centile was present in 5.55% of girls and 8.6% of the boys. 27 (25.7%) children had BMI >85th centile; 5 (4.7%) children had both BMI >85th centile and BP >90th centile; of them, three were boys and two were girls. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of routine measurements of the BP in all children presenting in OPD to screen them for hypertension.