Background: Hypertension is a common disease in adults but its seeds are sown in young age. Therefore, detecting, tracking and targeting pre-hypertensive among youngsters is the most cost effective intervention to reduce incidence of hypertension in adults. Database of blood pressure distribution is must to define/ redefine cut off points of hypertension and revise epidemiological and management guidelines. Objective: To document prevalence of pre/ hypertension and distribution of systolic and diastolic blood pressure amongst adolescent and its association with anthropometric determinants. Methodology: This cross-sectional study covers 152 volunteer from a medical school between 17 to 19 years. Ensuring quality by minimizing measurement errors, data was collected by faculty on a pre-designed proforma and entered in MS Excel. Mean with standard deviation (SD) and median with 5th and 95th percentile for both systolic and diastolic blood pressures as per few demographic determinants such as age, sex and overweight/ obesity parameters such as body mass index (BMI), absolute waist circumference (AWC) and waist hip ratio (WHR)  were calculated. Prevalence rate (%) of pre/ hypertension with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) as per JNC 7 was calculated. Results: Prevalence rates for hypertension and pre-hypertension in the study were 9.2 and 44.7 percents respectively. There were more pre-hypertensive amongst males (54%) than females (34%). There was no one obese as per BMI (> 29.9). However, as per AWC and WHR 3.4 and 9 percent females were obese respectively while none of the male was obese as per these two criteria. All obesity parameters were found linked with prevalence of pre/ hypertension. Similar relationship existed with distribution of systolic and diastolic blood pressure but was more pronounced with systolic blood pressure (SBP). 

 

Significant number of pre- hypertensive in adolescents (44.7%) especially in males (54%) suggests the need of detection and application of specific protection, to reduce the incidence of hypertension during their adulthood.  Obesity is nil as per the BMI, minimal as per AWC (3.4%) and WHR (9%); overweight too as per BMI is seen in 11.8% only. Hence focus of preventive strategies shall target the modifiable factors other than obesity. 

 

Key words: Adolescent, prevalence of hypertension, distribution of blood pressure, anthropometric determinants 

 

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