Abstract

Background: Prevalence of hypertension is rapidly increasing among Indians owing to sedentary lifestyle, junk food, and rapid urbanization. Aimsand
Objective: To study the association between anthropometric parameters and blood pressure levels among school children aged 10–14 years in Ghaziabad city and to determine the distribution and prevalence of hypertension in children aged 10–14 years.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was done in school children aged 10–14 years in Ghaziabad city, Uttar Pradesh. The blood pressure and anthropometric variables such as age, height, weight, and body mass index were recorded. The results were analyzed by ANOVA with SPSS software, version 17.0, using unpaired t-test. Result: Results showed that there was an increase in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) with the increase in age, height, and weight (po 0.05). Both SBP and DBP were higher (po 0.05) in obese children and children with positive family h/o hypertension than their relative counterparts. Conclusion: Body mass index and blood pressure of the children should be checked at regular intervals in order to prevent any future complications.