Home blood pressure normalcy in non-European adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: Evidence on normal range of home blood pressure (BP) in adolescents relies on only one European study. This study aims to investigate the normal range of home BP in a healthy non-European population of adolescents. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with a representative sample of secondary school students (12-17 years) from a Brazilian state capital. Adolescents' heights were classified in percentiles according to age and sex. Height percentiles were divided in 50th or less or more than 50th percentile. The home BP protocol included two day-time and two evening-time measurements over 6 days. Exams were considered valid with at least 12 measurements. RESULTS: A total of 1024 adolescents were included, mean age 15.21 ±â€Š1.61 years, mostly women (52.4%), from public schools (68.4%) and nonwhite (51.3%). The 50th (midpoint of distribution) and the 95th percentile (upper normal limit) for home SBP and DBP in adolescents are provided by sex, age and height percentiles. There was a marked increase in the estimated 95th percentile for home SBP with increasing age in men for both height percentiles examined (16 mmHg for ≤50th percentile and 14.5 mmHg for >50th percentile) and less so for home DBP (1 and 5 mmHg, respectively). In women, the 95th percentile increase with age was less significant for SBP and similar for DBP when compared with men in the two height percentiles evaluated (6/2 mmHg for ≤50th percentile and 4/4 mmHg for >50th percentile). CONCLUSION: Reference values for home BP by height percentiles for age and sex in a non-European population of adolescents are provided.

Does nutritional status interfere with adolescents' body image perception?

Adolescents' body image (BI) may not match their nutritional status. This study selected representative sample of healthy adolescents aged between 12 and 18 from public and private schools. Anthropometric measures were performed in order to calculate the body mass index (BMI) percentile. The silhouette scale proposed by Childress was used to evaluate BI, making it possible to assess BI satisfaction and BI distortion. The sample was composed of 1168 adolescents with a mean age of 14.7 years; 52.9% were female, 50.9% were fair-skinned, 62.4% had consumed or still consume alcohol and 67% attended public school. Male adolescents presented more overweight and obesity (28.4%) (p<0.05) than the female (17.1%). It was observed that 69.4% were dissatisfied with BI, 91.1% of the obese and 69.8% of those with overweight wished to lose body weight and 82.5% of those underweight wished to gain body weight. BI distortion was identified, since 35% of the adolescents who were underweight did not regard themselves thin, 39.1% of the overweight individuals and 62.1% of the obese did not see themselves in their adequate classifications. Adolescents with overweight/obesity were those who presented higher dissatisfaction with BI, mainly the females. Male individuals presented a greater wish of gaining weight. BI distortion was present in adolescents of all classes of BMI percentile.