STUDY TO KNOW RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OBESITY AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IN SCHOOL GOING CHILDREN OF LAHORE

Objective: To assess the relationship between obesity and high blood pressure (BP) risk in adolescents Lahore City. Study Design: A stratified random sampling technique. Place and Duration: The study was contucted for one year duration from September 2018 to August 2019 in the School going children of Lahore attending the Pediatrics OPDs of Children hospital, Services Hospital and Jinnah Hospital of Lahore City. Methodology: A multi-stage stratified random sampling technique was used to represent a sample of 661 adolescents aged 12-17 years. Findings: In males the mean BMI was greater than females of all ages, with the mean BMI (24.1 kg / m2) of females out of 13 years being higher than females. Men (22.0 kg / m2) had increase systolic blood pressure (SBP) (118.1 mm Hg - 127.1 mm Hg) than males (110.2 mmHg -1717.1 mmHg). The high SBP prevalence raised with increasing weight, because 51% of men with increased SBP were overweight, 62.5% of women. Similarly, it was more obese when compared to DBP in the normal range twice (IC 95% 1.1, 4.4) and four times (IC 95 1.6%, 8.5) in patients with high diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Conclusion: The obesity prevalence in Pakistani adolescents and the association of high blood pressure in this age group requires urgent action to prevent and control obesity. Key words: Body mass index, Adolescents, obesity, blood pressure