Unhealthy behavior associated with the development of high blood pressure in adolescents

This article aims to evaluate the association between unhealthy behavior pattern and prevalence and incidence of high blood pressure in adolescents. Based on data from a cohort study with a baseline population of 2,813 adolescents enrolled in a public school system, the study measured the baseline prevalence and incidence of high blood pressure as a function of smoking, alcohol and illegal drug use, and physical activity. These variables were used to build a model called " unhealthy behavior pattern", and its relationship was evaluated in relation to high blood pressure in adolescents, using multiple logistic regression models. Prevalence of high blood pressure was 8.67%. Accumulated incidence of high blood pressure was 7.58%. In the multivariate analysis of high blood pressure adjusted by degree of adiposity, there was an association with the unhealthy behavior pattern in males (OR = 3.13; 95% CI: 1.67- 5.84). The association between incidence of high blood pressure and unhealthy behavior pattern was observed in females (OR = 2.34; 95% CI: 1.11- 4.95). In conclusion, high blood pressure is present in the adolescent population, associated with unhealthy behaviors like smoking, alcohol and illegal drug use, and physical inactivity, independently of the degree of adiposity.