Prevalência de fatores de risco para hipertensão arterial em escolares do município de Fortaleza, CE Prevalence of hypertension risk factors in students in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil

The systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) represents serious problem of health. Some risk factors for illness are more common in great urban centers. Little is known about the prevalence of arterial hypertension (AH) and its risk factors in the less developed regions of Brazil. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hypertension risk factors in students enrolled in public schools in the municipality of Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil. We evaluated 493 students aged between 7 and 17 from a school in the city of Fortaleza, Ceara state, Brazil. Behavioral risk factors (physical inactivity, smoking and alcoholism) as well as biological risk factors (overweight and high blood pressure) were investigated. The chi-square test was used for comparing proportions, while the T test was used for independent samples. Among the values for cardiovascular risk factors, the boys were, somehow more “irregularly active” (89.2%) of girls (76%) as more sedentary (19.1%). Another risk factor explored was the presence of tobacco, directly or indirectly by a group of matched age groups where they positively (groups 7 and 8) smoked more than they represent a small proportion compared with nonsmokers. The prevalence of hypertension was 25.2% higher in boys (p < 0.03). It has been concluded that the cardiovascular risk factors represent a high prevalence health problem among the students in Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil.