The association between overweight, obesity and pre-hypertension, hypertension in students at Dong Hoa High School, Hai Phong city

The increasing prevalence of high blood pressure in adolescents is an alarming global health problem, coupled with the rise in obesity and sedentary lifestyles. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between overweight, obesity, and pre-hypertension, and hypertension among adolescents aged 15 - 17 years in Hai Phong city. The case-control study was conducted on 1,000 students at Dong Hoa High School, Hai Phong city. The control group consisted of 730 students with normal systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The case group included 270 students with pre-hypertension and hypertension according to the diagnostic criteria of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The study results showed that the proportion of students with pre-hypertension and hypertension was quite high, 12.2% and 14.8%, respectively. The prevalence of pre-hypertension and hypertension in male students was significantly higher than in female students (P < 0.001). After adjusting for age and sex, overweight and obesity were statistically significantly associated with the risk of pre-hypertension, and hypertension with OR values of 2.2 (95%CI: 1.4-3.4) and 7.1 (95%CI: 3.0 - 16.5), respectively. Thus, overweight and obesity increases the risk of pre-hypertension and hypertension in adolescents aged 15 - 17 at Dong Hoa High School, Hai Phong city.