Prevalence of Hypertension in Children from Public Schools

Abstract Background: There is a discrepancy between protocols used for the diagnosis of childhood hypertension, and the most recommended one is the measurement of blood pressure in at least three different moments. Objective: To identify the prevalence of hypertension in children, and to associate it with the nutritional status variable. Methods: This is a longitudinal study, which included all children aged 7 to 10 years enrolled in public schools and had the authorization of their parents/guardians, totaling 722 children. In the first evaluation, the child's family answered a questionnaire, and the child was submitted to anthropometric and hemodynamic evaluation. Blood pressure was measured three times at three different times. Children who had high blood pressure at the first moment were reassessed at a second time; those who persisted with high blood pressure were re-evaluated at a third moment. Results: The prevalence of high blood pressure at the first moment was 8.1%, being 3.2% in the second and 2.1% in the third. The nutritional status was significantly associated with the increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressures, being higher in overweight and obese children. The highest prevalence of high blood pressure was found in children classified as obese, at all moments. Conclusion: By performing blood pressure measurements of children at different moments, it was possible to reduce false-positive cases for arterial hypertension. The nutritional status was directly associated with the increase in blood pressure values. Performing the measurements in routine consultations becomes essential for diagnosis and early intervention.