Abstract

We have compared 47 obese children with non-obese control group to show the changes in arterial blood pressure which is influenced by different mechanisms in obesity. The children in patient group were between 5 and 14 years, their body mass indexes were over 95th percentile, weight for age values over 120% and diagnosed as exogenous obesity. We also studied insulin levels of obese children to find a correlation between hypertension and hyperinsulinemia. As compared with normal, systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressures of obese children were significantly higher (p<0.001). Systolic and/or diastolic blood pressures of 13 obese children in patient group were also higher than 95 percentile for their ages and sexes. Obese children who were also hyperinsulinemic, had higher diastolic blood pressures than normoinsulinemic obese children (p<0.05). When we evaluated the results according to the pubertal status of the obese children, the rise in diastolic blood pressure were statistically significant in obese children at puberty compared to the obese children without puberty (p<0.001). In conclusion we can suggest that hypertension as a complication of obesity begins as early as chilhood and it is more significant during puberty.