Prevalence rates of hypertensive and obese children in a public elementary school in southern Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Many studies have disclosed that high blood pressure in adults is a disease that starts inchildhood. The aim of this study was to perform a survey about the prevalence rates of hypertensive andobese children in at a public elementary school in southern Minas Gerais, as well as to verify thecorrelation between weight alterations and blood pressure. We evaluated 274 children, from both genders,aged between 6 and 13, from October until December 2009. This study identified 7.3% prevalence ofhypertension among the evaluated children. Furthermore, it found a high percentage of obese individuals(16.4% overweight and 12.8% obese). Besides, the study showed a statistical tendency of increasingblood pressure levels due to increase in the BMI. These results show the importance of precociousdiagnosis of hypertension and the need of obesity prevention, and they remark the necessity of changes inthe present health care system for obtaining treatment turned to chronic conditions.