Prevalence of overweight and obesity and their associations with blood pressure among children and adolescents in Shandong, China.

BACKGROUND: Obesity and high blood pressure (BP) are public health problems all over the world. Some studies have reported a positive association between them in children and adolescents. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity and their associations with BP among school children and adolescents in Shandong, an important province in eastern China. METHODS: In 2011, we conducted a cross-sectional population-representative survey in Shandong, China. A total of 4 898 children and adolescents aged 6-17 years were randomly selected from 140 counties/districts using a multistage random cluster sampling. Weight, height and BP were measured by a trained physician or pediatrician, and information about age, gender and place of residence was obtained using questionnaires. Obesity and high BP were defined according to age- and gender-specific Chinese reference data for children. RESULTS: A total of 4 898 (100%) children and adolescents provided complete information. The prevalence of overweight, obesity and overweight plus obesity were 10.9%, 8.7% and 19.6%, respectively. Boys were more likely to be overweight or obese than girls (P < 0.05 for overweight; P < 0.001 for obesity). The prevalence of overweight plus obesity was highest among children aged 6-11 years (22.3%). BP and the prevalence of high BP increased with increasing body mass index (BMI). With age and sex adjusted, odds ratios (ORs) for high BP were [OR 2.2;95% CI 1.7-2.8) in overweight and [OR 3.6;95% CI 2.6-4.9] in obese children. CONCLUSION: The representative survey confirms high prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in Shandong. Childhood obesity is a strong risk factor for high BP. Intervention programs should be implemented to combat the growing obesity epidemic.

[Survey on native place and surname of parents in a newborn infant cord blood DNA bank of Han nation].

A hospital-sampled newborn infant cord blood DNA bank was collected to measure the homogeneity comparing with China and northern China population by distribution of native place and surname. The DNA bank included in 566 cases of newborn infant of Han nation in a hospital in Beijing to sample cord blood, parents' native place and surname. The parents' native place and surname were analyzed for distribution, proportion to evaluate their difference with those from China and northern China population data. In the DNA bank, native place of parents from Beijing was from 45.1% to 49.8%, that from Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Jiangsu provinces second from 3.7% to 10.6%, that from other provinces lower than above provinces. The native place of parents covered thirty provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in China, except Tibet autonomous region and Guizhou province. There were 146 surnames of father and 145 surnames of mother included in the DNA bank. Nine surnames were found more than 1.5% in sampled population. The front eight surnames in order of father were Wang (9.0%), Li (8.0%), Zhang (7.8%), Liu (7.1%), Yang (4.1%), Chen (3.5%), Zhao (3.4%), Gao (1.6%). The front eight surnames in order of mother were Wang (11.8%), Li (8.3%), Zhang (7.8%), Liu (6.4%), Zhao (3.7%), Chen (3.4%), Sun (2.8%), Yang (2.7%). The front seven surnames in order of parents were Wang (10.42%), Li (8.13%), Zhang (7.77%), Liu (6.71%), Zhao (3.53%), Chen (3.45%), Yang (3.36%). The surname distribution of DNA bank was similar to that of north China (Wang 9.87%, Li 9.28%, Zhang 9.13%, Liu 6.68%, Zhao 3.56%, Yang 3.04%, Chen 2.51%) without significance, chi2 = 8.54, df = 6, P = 0.20. The surname in order between DNA bank and northern China was uniform in front fives, the sixth and the seventh reversed. The newborn infant cord blood DNA bank from a hospital in Beijing suggests some feature of the northern China population in surnames Based on the hospital-sampling stratagem, to modify the sampling method might collect suitable newborn infant cord blood DNA bank to fit for human genetic research.

[The status of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in adult population in Shandong province in 2011].

OBJECTIVE: To identify the status of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in adult population in Shandong province in China. METHODS: A total of 15 350 representative subjects aged 18 to 69 in Shandong province were selected with multistage stratified and clustered sampling design. Questionnaire investigation and physical examination including measurement of blood pressure, height and weight, were taken for all of them. The prevalence was estimated by weighted SURVEYFREQ model. RESULTS: In Shandong province, 34.5% of the hypertensive patients were aware of their high blood pressure (31.1% in male, 38.5% in female), 27.5% of them were taking antihypertensive medications (24.1% in male, 31.7% in female), and 14.9% of them (13.7% in male, 16.4% in female) were under control for their blood pressure (<140/90 mm Hg). CONCLUSION: The rates of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in adult hypertensive population in Shandong province, China were low, and it is urgently needed to take steps for intervention and control for hypertension prevention, particularly in rural areas.