Determinants of Adolescent Hypertension: Dietary Pattern and Gender Diffrences in Urban
Keywords:
Adolescents, hypertension, dietary patterns, BMIAbstract
Hypertension in adolescents is a global concern because it has the potential to continue into adulthood and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Lifestyle changes and consumption patterns high in sugar, salt, fat, and ultra-processed foods (UPF) contribute to increased blood pressure at a young age. This study aims to analyze the relationship between gender, nutritional status, and dietary patterns with blood pressure status among secondary school adolescents in urban areas of Indonesia. An analytical observational study with a cross-sectional design was conducted on 167 students aged 15–18 years. Data were collected through a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), anthropometric measurements, and blood pressure measurements. Analysis was performed using the Chi-square test with a significance level of p < 0.05.
The Results of this research showed that
The prevalence of hypertension was 14.4% and overweight was 13.2%. Only gender was significantly associated with blood pressure (p = 0.021), with a higher proportion of hypertension in males (20.7%) than females (8.2%). No significant association was found between consumption patterns (sweet foods, salt, fat, UPF, sweetened beverages) and blood pressure (p > 0.05).
The Conclusion is that hypertension among adolescents is high and more prevalent in males. Although dietary patterns did not show a significant association, the high prevalence of UPF and sweetened beverage consumption indicates the need for nutritional interventions and early blood pressure screening in schools to prevent hypertension from an early age.
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