Prevalence and Correlates of Elevated Blood Pressure in Chinese Children Aged 6-13 Years: a Nationwide School-Based Survey.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of elevated blood pressure (EBP) in Chinese children and identify individual and family factors associated with EBP.


METHODS
A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted in 2010 using stratified cluster sampling. Participants' blood pressure was measured, and their parents completed a questionnaire on personal and family characteristics. Prevalence and correlates of EBP were assessed.


RESULTS
Among a total of 24,333 participants, 20.2% of boys and 16.3% of girls had EBP. The prevalence of EBP increased with the ascending trend of waist circumference, Waist-to-height ratio, and body mass index. The adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) for obese boys and girls were 2.50 and 2.97, respectively. Fewer urban boys (16.2%) had EBP than rural boys (21.7%). Boys with a family history of hypertension were 12% more likely to have EBP. Children whose mothers received a college education tended to have lower likelihood of EBP; with an aPR was 0.85 among boys and 0.78 among girls.


CONCLUSION
EBP is common among obese students and those who have a family history of hypertension. A negative association between mothers' education levels and EBP risk in children was found.
['Zhai|Yi|Y|', 'Li|Wei Rong|WR|', 'Shen|Chong|C|', 'Qian|Frank|F|', 'Shi|Xiao Ming|XM|']
D000293:Adolescent D001794:Blood Pressure D015992:Body Mass Index D002648:Child D002681:China D016000:Cluster Analysis D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D005260:Female D006801:Humans D006973:Hypertension D008297:Male D010375:Pedigree D015995:Prevalence D012574:Schools D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D055105:Waist Circumference D065927:Waist-Height Ratio
Elevated blood pressure Children Cross-sectional study Waist circumference Waist-to-height ratio Body mass index China