Gender-related differences in the relationships between blood pressure, age, and body size in prepubertal children.

BACKGROUND The blood pressure (BP) increase with age is well documented in adults and children. However, in the pediatric age group, body size is the most important determinant of age-related BP increases. The aim of the present analysis was to investigate the relationships between age, gender, and body size and BP in children. METHODS To this purpose, data were analyzed from 4,514 prepubertal children, aged 6-11 years (71% of the eligible sample; boys = 2,283, girls = 2,231) from the ARCA Project, a screening of childhood obesity carried out in southern Italy. Girls who reported the occurrence of menarche were excluded from the analysis. The sample constituted roughly 20% of all the children attending the primary schools in the area. Weight, height, waist circumference, and BP were measured according to standardized procedures. RESULTS As expected, both systolic and diastolic BP significantly increased (P 10 years. CONCLUSIONS In prepubertal girls in the age range 6-11 years, but not in boys, age is significantly associated with BP independently of body size and adiposity.