High blood pressure (HBP) among children and adolescents has been associated with elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases later in life. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between body composition and blood pressure among Polokwane private school children. Mean body fat % was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in girls (23.74) than the boys (16.77). There was a significant (P < 0.05) association between systolic blood pressure (BP) and waist circumference (WC) unadjusted (OR = 1.125) and adjusted (OR = 1.097) for age and gender. This study included a total of 1665 children and adolescents (846 boys and 819 girls) aged 5 to 15 years old. Anthropometric measurements including weight, height, hip circumference (HC) and waist circumference (WC) were taken according to standard procedures. Descriptive statistics were done to determine the prevalence of hypertension and mean of all the variables. Pearson correlation, linear regression and logistic regression were all done to determine the association between blood pressure (BP) and the anthropometric measurements. All statistical analysis were done using SPSS. There was a significant association between body composition and blood pressure among Polokwane Private School children. Lowering the risk factors of high BP in children and adolescents will lower their risk of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood.
Keywords: anthropometry; association; blood pressure; body composition; children.