Prevalence and risk factors of hypertension in adolescent school children in a remote village in Ambala District, Haryana, India

Introduction: Childhood hypertension rates differ globally, with developing nations experiencing rising trends. Blood pressure (BP) in youth tracks into adulthood, underscoring the importance of early prevention to curb future disease burden. Little is known about how nutritional status connects to BP among rural Indian teens.

Objectives: To explore links between physical measurements and additional factors with BP in school children from North India’s countryside.

Method: This cross-sectional observational study involved schools located in Mullana village, Ambala district, Haryana, India. A total of 1024 children (627 boys, 397 girls) aged 11 to <18 years participated. Standardized protocols per 2017 AAP guidelines assessed BP measurements, physical parameters, and lifestyle habits.

Results: Overall, 2.4% exhibited high BP. Body mass index (BMI) was significantly tied to BP (p<0.001). Age (p=0.03), sex (p=0.014), and socioeconomic standing (p<0.001) were significantly connected to hypertension as well. Junk food intake and sleeping under seven hours was strongly associated with elevated BP (p<0.001). Family history of diabetes (p<0.001) and hypertension (p<0.001) were significantly associated with higher BP in children. However, waist circumference (p=0.16), screen time (p=0.22), physical activity (p=0.26), and dietary preference (p=0.07) showed no significant impact.

Conclusions: BMI, age, sex, socioeconomic standing, junk food intake, sleeping under seven hours, family history of diabetes and family history of hypertension were significantly associated with higher BP in children.