Elevated blood pressure in adolescent girls: correlation to body size and composition.

ABSTRACT:

Background

To improve understanding of the pathophysiology of hypertension in adolescents and pave the way for risk stratification, studies have sought to determine the correlates of blood pressure (BP). Inconsistencies in dependent and independent variables have resulted in an elusive consensus. The aim of this report is to examine an inclusive array of correlates of BP, as a continuous (systolic and diastolic BP) and a dichotomous variable.

Methods

Subjects were a school-based sample of 730 urban, mostly African American, non-referred 6th and 7th grade girls. To find independent correlates of SBP/DBP, we used a stepwise model selection method based on the Schwarz Bayesian Information Criterion, enabling selection of a parsimonious model among highly correlated covariates.

SUBMITTER: Devonshire AL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4729122 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature