Prevalence of central obesity in a large sample of adolescents from public schools in Recife, Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and association of central obesity (CO) and hypertension and its associations with alcohol intake, smoking and physical activity in adolescents. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Cross sectional study in 1,824 students from 29 public schools in Recife. RESULTS: 89.6% were normal weight, 6.7% overweight and 3.7% obese; 77.2% were normotensive, 5.9% prehypertensive and 16.9% hypertensive; CO was 10.2% when the 90th percentile was used as cutoff and 25.2% when the 75th percentile was used. There was a higher likelihood of central obesity among students aged 18 to 20 years, smoking and alcohol intake. The probability of hypertension increases if the subject is male, has a waist circumference (WC) > 90, WC > 75 and does not practice physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of CO and hypertension was found in adolescents. CO was more frequent in students aged 18 to 20 years, smokers and with alcohol intake and hypertension was associated with male, CO and no physical activity.