90th percentile but
< 95th percentile. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 17.0. Chi-square
test was used for analysis and P value <0.05 was considered
statistically significant. Institutional Ethics Committee clearance was
obtained. Permission was obtained from school authorities and written
consent from the parents. Assent was also obtained from the children.
Participants were equally distributed across the
different age groups (data not shown). The overall prevalence of
hypertension in our study participants was 10% and prevalence of
pre-hypertension was 14.2%. There was significant difference in
prevalence of hypertension between students of government or private
school (Table I).
TABLE I Distribution of Study Participants, Based on Selected Determinants and Hypertension (N=310)
|
Determinants |
Hypertension, n (%) |
Pre-hypertension, n (%) |
Normal, n (%) |
Total |
P value |
|
School |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Government |
9 (5.5) |
23 (14.0) |
132 (80.5) |
164 |
0.017 |
|
Private |
22 (15) |
21 (14.4) |
103 (70.6) |
146 |
|
|
Age |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10-12 |
16 (12.9) |
17 (13.7) |
91 (73.4) |
124 |
0.967 |
|
13-15 |
15 (8.06) |
27 (14.5) |
144 (77.4) |
186 |
|
|
Gender |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Males |
14 (8.1) |
20. (11.6) |
139 (80.3) |
173 |
0.111 |
|
Females |
17 (12.4) |
24 (17.5) |
96 (70.1) |
137 |
|
|
Body Mass Index |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obesity & Overweight |
3 (11.6) |
5 (19.2) |
18 (69.2) |
26 |
0.553 |
|
Normal |
19 (12.3) |
23 (14.8) |
113 (72.9) |
155 |
|
|
Underweight |
9 (7.0) |
16 (12.4) |
104 (80.6) |
129 |
|
|
Total |
31 (10.0) |
44 (14.2) |
235 (75.8) |
310 |
|
The prevalence of hypertension in our study was
higher as compared to some earlier studies from similar setting [2,3].
This could be due to different socio-demographic characteristics. The
prevalence of pre-hypertension in our study was similar to that of study
done by Rahman, et al. [3]. Increasing prevalence of hypertension
might be due to childhood obesity as well as growing awareness of the
diseases [3-6]. We suggest that children should be screened regularly
for hypertension to prevent the complications in adulthood.
Contributors: DK: Design, data collection,
analysis and drafting the manuscript; PS: Conception, data collection,
analysis and revising the manuscript; RVP: Design, data collection,
analysis and revising the manuscript; ZS: Conception, design, data
interpretation.
Funding: Pondicherry Institute of Medical
Sciences;
Competing interests: None stated.
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