Components of Height and Blood Pressure among Ellisras Rural Children: Ellisras Longitudinal Study

• Main Authors: Nthai Ramoshaba, Kotsedi Monyeki, Leon Hay
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2016-08-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: blood pressure; cardiovascular disease; hypertension; components of height; rural children; South Africa
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/13/9/856

To date, there has been no study done investigating the relationship between the components of height and blood pressure (BP) in rural South African children. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between height, sitting height (SH), leg length (LL), and SH-to-height ratio (SH/H) with BP in Ellisras rural children. All children underwent anthropometric and BP measurements using standard procedure. Linear regression was used to assess the relationship between height, SH, LL, SH/H, and BP. The regression showed a positive significant (p < 0.001) association between systolic BP (SBP) with height and SH (β ranged from 0.127 to 0.134 and 95% CI ranged from 0.082 to 0.415). Diastolic BP (DBP) also showed a positive significant (p < 0.001) association with height and SH (β ranged from 0.080 to 0.088 and 95% CI ranged from 0.042 to 0.259). After having been adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, and waist circumference, DBP showed a positive significant (p < 0.05) association with height. There was a positive significant association between DBP and SBP together with the components of height amongst Ellisras rural children.