Relationship between sexual maturation and anthropometric and blood pressure indicators in teenagers

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the relationship between sexual maturation and anthropometric and blood pressure indicators in teenagers. This was a population-based cross-sectional study, conducted with 345 teenagers, aged 10 to 19 years, between 2018 and 2020. In this study, data referent to sociodemographic and anthropometric variables, blood pressure, and sexual maturation were collected. The data analysis was performed by applying the Principle Component Analysis (PCA), which generated three components and then tested the correlation between sexual maturation and the generated components. Most of the teenagers were female (53%), normotensive (66.1%), and with a normal weight (73%). A positive correlation was found between breast development and component 1 and component 2, as well as a negative correlation between the breasts and component 3. In the boys, the development of genitals and pubic hair was positively correlated with component 2 and inversely correlated with component 3. It could therefore be concluded that there is a relationship between sexual maturation and the anthropometric and blood pressure indicators, which proved to be representative variables for cardiovascular risk in teenagers, even if not in their entirety.

摘要 本研究旨在探讨青少年性成熟与人体测量学指标及血压指标之间的关联。本研究为基于人群的横断面研究，于2018年至2020年间纳入345名年龄介于10至19岁的青少年作为研究对象。本研究收集了社会人口学特征、人体测量学变量、血压及性成熟相关数据。数据分析采用主成分分析（Principal Component Analysis，PCA），提取得到3个主成分，并检验了性成熟与各主成分间的相关性。研究对象中女性占比53%，血压正常者占66.1%，体重正常者占73%。研究发现，女性乳房发育与主成分1、主成分2呈正相关，与主成分3呈负相关；在男性青少年中，生殖器与阴毛发育与主成分2呈正相关，与主成分3呈负相关。综上可得出结论：性成熟与人体测量学指标及血压指标存在关联，尽管并非涵盖全部指标，但上述指标均可作为青少年心血管风险的代表性变量。