ESPE Abstracts (2015) 84 P-2-374

Department of Nursing, Faculty of Human Movement and Quality of Life Sciences, University of Peloponnese, Sparti, Greece


Background: Elevated blood pressure (BP) may occur from childhood, increasing the risk for hypertension in adulthood.

Aim: To investigate the effect of anthropometric characteristics and lifestyle habits in children’s and adolescents’ BP.

Methods: 949 children (<12 years old) from Lakonia, 178 teenagers (12–18 years old) from Athens and 372 from Kalamata, Greece, had participated during 2011–2014. A specially designed questionnaire was used and anthropometric and biochemical analyses were performed.

Results: Elevated BP was found in 39% boys and 29% girls. In the teenagers’ population: 23% of boys and 12.1% of girls in Kalamata, and 35% of boys and 59% of girls living in Athens had high BP. With statistical importance (P≤0.05) we observed a positive correlation between BP, BMI%, and waist circumference (WC%) in children. Regarding their eating habits, the consumption of cereals, olive oil, and fast-food increased BP while vegetables decreased it. Regarding children’s sleep habits, sleeping late (after 2200 h) was positively correlated with BP, while night sleep duration and siesta was negatively correlated with BP. In adolescents living in Athens and Kalamata, a positive correlation between BP, BMI% and WC% was found. Lack of breakfast consumption was positively correlated with BP, in both populations. Legumes and fruits seemed to decrease BP while rice, cereals and sweets seemed to increase it. In the adolescents of Athens, dairy products increased BP while in Kalamata fish consumption decreased BP. In Athens, the hour when adolescents go to bed was positively correlated with BP. 57.86% of them, watch television during meals, which is positively correlated with WC% and BP. In the total population of children and adolescents in all areas we found that a family history of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes was associated with high BP.

Conclusions: In an effort to prevent complications like heart or renal failure it is necessary to preserve appropriate lifestyle habits.

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