The Growing Burden of School Adolescent Hypertension in North Kordofan, Sudan, A Call for School-Based Interventions

Abstract

This letter to the editor draws attention to hypertension among school adolescents in North Kordofan, Sudan, and calls for school-based interventions. Citing WHO data for 2020, the authors note that hypertension is the third health problem in Sudan, accounting for 3.34% of total deaths, and link the rising occurrence of elevated blood pressure in children and adolescents to increasing rates of overweight and obesity. They report a study of 600 healthy school adolescents aged 13–18 years in El Obeid City, conducted between July and December 2021 using cluster sampling, in which demographic, socioeconomic, anthropometric and blood pressure data were collected, body mass index was categorised with CDC percentile charts and socioeconomic status was classified with the Oyedeji system. Of the participants, 243 (40.5%) were male and 357 (59.5%) female, and 13 (2.2%) had stage 2 hypertension. Rates of overweight and obesity were high, with obesity more common among males. Factors associated with hypertension included overweight (OR = 10.78), obesity (OR = 13.37), a family history of cardiac disease (OR = 4.34) and age (OR = 2.014). The authors conclude that systematic blood pressure monitoring, health mentorship programmes for students, comprehensive public health strategies, early screening and affordable interventions are needed, and that schools should promote physical activity and health awareness to curb the growing burden of hypertension among adolescents.

Abstract prepared by the editorial office from the full text of the article; the authors did not supply one.