Trends in Blood Pressure Among Children and Adolescents

CONTEXT The prevalence of overweight among children and adolescents increased between 1988 and 2000. The change in blood pressure among children and adolescents over that time and the role of overweight is unknown. OBJECTIVE To examine trends in systolic and diastolic blood pressure among children and adolescents between 1988 and 2000. DESIGN, SETTING, AND POPULATION Two serially conducted cross-sectional studies using nationally representative samples of children and adolescents, aged 8 to 17 years, from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) conducted in 1988-1994 (n = 3496) and NHANES 1999-2000 (n = 2086). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels. RESULTS In 1999-2000, the mean (SE) systolic blood pressure was 106.0 (0.3) mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure was 61.7 (0.5) mm Hg. After adjustment for age, mean systolic blood pressure was 1.6 mm Hg higher among non-Hispanic black girls (P = .11) and 2.9 mm Hg higher among non-Hispanic black boys (P