Introduction:

arterial hypertension and its risk factors go unnoticed in adolescence, so it is vital to carry out an active search in this population to improve its evolution and prognosis.

Objective:

to determine the possible relationship between nutritional status, perinatal and family history and blood pressure in adolescents in the 8th grade of the Secondary School Carlos Ulloa.

Methods:

an observational, analytical and cross-sectional study was carried out in 72 adolescents belonging to this institution. A questionnaire was administered to the guardians, which collected family and perinatal pathological antecedents. The adolescents were measured for weight, height, waist circumference, hip circumference, arm circumference, tricipital fold, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Mean, standard deviation, absolute and relative frequencies were used, as well as mean, chi-square and Spearman correlation comparisons, all at 95 % confidence.

Results:

36,1 % showed elevated blood pressure, prehypertension (23,6 %) or arterial hypertension (8,3 % stage I and 4,2 % stage II). The patient's history of The most important factors associated with the presence of elevated blood pressure were obesity and gestational diabetes (p<0,05). High waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio showed a statistically significant association (p<0,05) with elevated blood pressure. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were positively and significantly correlated with weight, body mass index, waist circumference, hip and waist-height index.

Conclusions:

the frequency of elevated blood pressure was present in one third of the population studied and associations with pregnancy history and excess malnutrition were identified.

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