A study on blood pressure and related risk factors in school age

Abstract

Background : This research is to shed light on factors behind blood pressure level by conducting a survey of elementary, middle and high school students located in Seoul about physical measurements, sphygmomanometry, family clinical history and health behavior.

Methods : From April 2005 to June 2005, researchers interviewed 6 elementary, 6 middle and 6 high school students in Seoul by using questionnaire containing questions of birth weight, breast feeding, dietary habit and parents' clinical history and measured height, weight and blood pressure by using oscillometric hemodynamometer.

Results : As a result of linear regression analysis in order to investigate factors affecting blood pressure, researchers observed that age, gender and BMI (body mass index) are the common factors affecting blood pressure level in school aged students and as for elementary school students, parents' history of high blood pressure was found to be the additional factor and as for high school students, coffee and first-hand or second-hand smoke.

Conclusion : The biggest factor affecting blood pressure of school age was physical characteristics such as age, gender, height and BMI. This research, contrary to the previous study, suggested that high blood pressure is not related to birth weight and dietary habit. The findings highly suggests that elementary school students, still in their childhood, were heavily affected by family history of hypertension, and high school students, closer to adults, were by first-hand or second-hand smoke and their preference to caffeine.