[Elevated blood pressure in adolescents from Rome, Italy. Nutritional risk factors and physical activity].

Aim of the study was to detect the prevalence of hypertension among 11-14 years old schoolchildren (n. 487, mean age 12.7 +/- 0.9). The influence on blood pressure (BP) of body mass index (BMI), dietary habits (frequency of breakfast and food items consumption) and life-style was also investigated. Hypertension was defined according to blood pressure tables for children and adolescents of the NIH-Fourth Report (systolic and diastolic BP >95th percentile for age and sex). Overweight and obesity were determined according to the International Obesity Task Force Dietary habits and life-style were investigated by specific questionnaires. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was respectively 31.8% and 10.3% of the subjects studied. Moreover 10.3% of them showed BP values between 90th and 95th percentile and 10.1% was hypertensive. In general the prevalence of overweight (p < 0.05), obesity (p < 0.001) and sedentary activity (p < 0.05) was higher in hypertensive adolescents. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a direct association between obesity (OR = 4.35; IC 95% = 2.24-8.44), sedentary life-style (OR = 2.38; IC 95% = 1.17-4.63) and hypertension. Food habits were not associated with BP levels. The results confirmed that an increase of cardiovascular risk in early age was correlated with the increase of the prevalence of obesity and sedentary life-style. Regular measurement of BP together with healthy dietary and life-style indications are recommended to overweight/obese children and adolescents.