Longitudinal blood pressure and body mass index in South African adolescents.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

Blood pressure (BP) is known to be affected by body mass index (BMI) from an early age, but research in South African youth is scarce. We assessed longitudinal trends and relationships between BP measures and BMI in a South African adolescent cohort.

Materials and methods

This longitudinal study (2010-2014) included 121 South African adolescent boys and girls of Black and White ethnicity from the Physical Activity Health Longitudinal Study. Measures included systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse pressure, mid-blood pressure (Mid-BP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and BMI.

Results

Over four years, significant increases (p < 0.05) in BMI, SBP, DBP, PP, Mid-BP, and MAP were observed in adolescents (p < 0.001). BMI was cons

SUBMITTER: van Niekerk E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12450704 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature