Anthropometric indices in the prediction of hypertension in female adolescents

Abstract EN

Background: Identifying the best marker for appropriate screening of risk factors of chronic diseases seems necessary in any society.

Objectives: This study aimed at performing a comparative evaluation of anthropometric indices to determine a better marker for prediction of high blood pressure in adolescents.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was done during 2013 on 1046 students, aged 11 to 19 year old in Kashan, who were chosen by cluster and class sampling method.

Height, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-high ratio (WHtR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of the subjects were measured.

Blood pressure of all subjects, whohad their blood pressuresmeasuredduring the first visit, wasmeasuredduring the secondandthird visit again, andthe threemeasuredblood pressure averages was considered as subjects’ blood pressure.

Results: This study showed a significant positive correlation between BP and body mass index (BMI), WC, WHR, and WHtR indices (P < 0.001).

Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was performed.

Area under the curve (AUC) was obtained for BMI (0.62 to 0.73),WC(0.67 to 0.76),WHR(0.57 to 0.67), andWHtR(0.63 to 0.77) in diastolic blood pressureandBMI(0.66 to 0.76),WC(0.68 to 0.78), WHR (0.57 to 0.67) and WHtR (0.67 to 0.77) in systolic blood pressure.

The WHtR in adolescents had better distinguishing power than other anthropometric indices.

Conclusions: TheWHtR, as a relatively simple, inexpensive, andconvenient measurementmethodis the best anthropometric index for determination of blood pressure in these subjects.