Obesity and Hypertension among Adolescents in Jakarta, Indonesia

Abstract

Hypertension has been demonstrated in several populations to have a positive correlation with obesity. Persistent hypertension in adolescents is often predictive of future hypertension in adults, cardiovascular disease and early death. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of obesity and the associated risk of hypertension among adolescents in Jakarta, Indonesia. The cross sectional study was conducted to 213 adolescents. Weight, height and blood pressure were measured using standard methods. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated and categorized by age and sex. The prevalences of normal and obese among the adolescents were 69.0 and 6.1%, respectively. The prevalences of hypertensive range systolic blood pressure among the adolescents categorized as normal and obese were 42.2 and 76.9%, respectively and those of hypertensive range diastolic blood pressure among the normal and obese ones were 21.1 and 38.5%, respectively. Pearson’s correlation analyses between BMI for age and systolic blood pressure (r = 0.310; p = 0.000) and between BMI for age and diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.168; p = 0.014) demonstrated positive correlations. The sufficiency levels of energy, protein and carbohydrate had a significant association with the systolic blood pressure. The sufficiency levels of energy and carbohydrate were significantly associated with the diastolic blood pressure. The determinant factors of the systolic blood pressure were the sufficiency levels of calcium, protein, iron and carbohydrate and those of the diastolic blood pressure were the sufficiency levels of energy and carbohydrate. A long-term follow up of hypertension in adolescents into adulthood is recommended.