The combined effects of overweight/obesity and dietary antioxidant quality score on hypertension in children and adolescents

Background This study was to evaluate the combined effects of overweight/obesity and DAQS on the risk of hypertension in children and adolescents. Methods In this cross-sectional study, the data of 14,316 subjects were extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore the associations of obesity and DAQS with the risk of hypertension. The combined effect of overweight/obesity and DAQS on the risk of hypertension was evaluated. Results Body mass index (BMI)-for-age < 85.sup.th percentile was associated with reduced risk of hypertension in children and adolescents [odds ratio (OR) = 0.48, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.41-0.62]. No significant association between DAQS [greater than or equal to] 3 and the risk of hypertension before and after the adjustment of confounders (P > 0.05). Subjects with BMI-for-age of < 85.sup.th percentile and DAQS < 3 was associated with decreased risk of hypertension (OR = 0.53, 95%CI: 0.35-0.79). People with BMI-for-age of < 85.sup.th percentile and DAQS [greater than or equal to] 3 was correlated with decreased risk of hypertension (OR = 0.52, 95%CI: 0.36-0.74). Subgroup analysis revealed that in subjects aged [greater than or equal to] 12 years, decreased risk of hypertension was observed in BMI-for-age < 85.sup.th percentile and DAQS < 3 group (OR = 0.48, 95%CI: 0.31-0.73) as well as BMI-for-age < 85.sup.th percentile and DAQS [greater than or equal to] 3 group (OR = 0.47, 95%CI: 0.32-0.67). In boys, BMI-for-age < 85.sup.th percentile and DAQS < 3 group (OR = 0.45, 95%CI: 0.25-0.81) as well as BMI-for-age < 85.sup.th percentile and DAQS [greater than or equal to] 3 group (OR = 0.40, 95%CI: 0.25-0.65) were correlated with decreased risk of hypertension. Conclusion Overweight/obesity and DAQS had combined effects on the risk of hypertension in children and adolescents, which implied that for children and adolescents with normal weight, to keep normal weight combined with high quality of diet might be recommended. Keywords: Obesity, Dietary antioxidant quality score, Hypertension, Children and adolescents