Relationship between blood pressure, body mass index in school population of Manizales, Colombia, 2011

Objective: To investigate the relationship between body mass index and the blood pressure values in adolescents of the city of Manizales (Colombia), given its association with the development of non-transmissible chronic diseases in adults. Methods: 923 adolescents, 51,1% female and 48,9% male, were studied between 10 and 18 years of age, with average of 14,25 years. The Anthropometric measures and blood pressure were taken, whereas body mass index was calculated. Results: 51.1% of females aged 10 to 18 years old, average 14.25 years. 82.4% of adolescents had a normal body mass index, waist-hip ratio average of 0.85, average of waist circumference of 74.99 cm, and body mass index in girls and 74.87 20.74, 0.87 and 20.29 in the young. The average systolic blood pressure was 103.62 mmHg for men and 102.07 mmHg for women; the average diastolic pressure for women was 63.45 mmHg and for men was 64.07 mmHg. Both univariate and multivariate analyzes showed a significant relationship of both pressures, for both women and men in all cases with body mass index, multivariate analyzes showed dependence on both measures of pressure with waist circumference for men, for women only the diastolic pressure in the univariate analysis was related. The waist-hip ratio was not related to anything in any case. Conclusion: The most appropriate indicator to measure overweight risk of hypertension in adolescents is the body mass index.