Cardiovascular risk profile of high school students: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Disease prevention should begin in childhood and lifestyles are important risk determinants of cardiovascular disease. Awareness and monitoring of risk is essential in preventive strategies.

AIM:

To characterize cardiovascular risk and the relationships between certain variables in adolescents.

METHODS:

In a cross-sectional study, 854 adolescent schoolchildren were surveyed, mean age 16.3 ± 0.9 years. Data collection included questionnaires, physical examination, charts for 10-year relative risk of mortality, and biochemical assays. In the statistical analysis continuous variables were studied by the Student's t test and categorical variables by the chi-square test and Fisher's exact test, and each risk factor was entered as a dependent variable in logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS:

Physical activity was insufficient in 81% of students. The daily consumption of soup, salad or vegetables, and fruit was, respectively, 37%, 39% and 21%. A minority (6%) took ≤ 3 and 77% took ≥ 5 meals a day. The prevalence of each risk factor was as follows: overweight 16%; smoking 13%; hypertension 11%; impaired glucose metabolism 9%; hypertriglyceridemia 9%; and hypercholesterolemia 5%. Out-of-school physical activity, hypertension and overweight were more prevalent in males (p<0.001). Females had higher levels of cholesterol (p<0.005) and triglycerides (p<0.001). A quarter of the adolescents had a relative risk score for 10-year cardiovascular mortality of ≥ 2. Overweight showed a positive association with blood pressure, changes in glucose metabolism and triglycerides, and a negative association with number of daily meals.

CONCLUSIONS:

The results demonstrate the need for action in providing and encouraging healthy choices for adolescents, with an emphasis on behavioral and lifestyle changes aimed at individuals, families and communities.

• Authors: Teresa Rocha, Evangelista Rocha, Ana Catarina Alves, Ana Margarida Medeiros, Vânia Francisco, Sónia Silva, Isabel Mendes Gaspar, Quitéria Rato, Mafalda Bourbon
• Journal: Revista portuguesa de cardiologia : orgao oficial da Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia = Portuguese journal of cardiology : an official journal of the Portuguese Society of Cardiology (Rev Port Cardiol) Vol. 33 Issue 9 Pg. 525-34 (Sep 2014) ISSN: 2174-2030 [Electronic] Portugal
• PMID: 25224793 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Blood Glucose

Topics

• Adolescent
• Blood Glucose (metabolism)
• Cardiovascular Diseases (diagnosis, etiology, mortality)
• Chi-Square Distribution
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Diet
• Female
• Humans
• Hypercholesterolemia (epidemiology)
• Hypertension (epidemiology)
• Logistic Models
• Male
• Motor Activity
• Overweight (epidemiology)
• Physical Examination
• Risk Factors
• Smoking (epidemiology)
• Surveys and Questionnaires