BACKGROUND: Hypertension does not only occurs on adults only, but also on adolescence. The mass of the body fat is an indicator related to hypertension. Body fat measurements is better to detect the obesity rather than a measurement
of weight and IMT on Asian population. Subcutaneous fat is a better parameter to predict the incidences of hypertension than the visceral fat. Neck circumference and skinfold represent the subcutaneous fat.
AIMS: To analyze the correlation between neck circumference, skinfold and blood pressure in adolescents.
METHODS: An observational study conducted with cross-sectional design consisted of 60 adolescence aged 16-18 year old in SMA Negeri 9 Semarang. Measured variables were blood pressure, neck circumference and skinfold. Data
analysis using Rank-Spearman, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis were performed.
RESULTS: Mean value of neck circumference diameter is 32,7 cm, skinfold(23,45±4,96)mm, systolic blood pressure (115,9±9,98)mmHg, diastolic blood pressure (78,8±7,5)mmHg. Based on systolic blood pressure, the prevalence of
hypertension (≥ 95th percentile) is 3,4%, pre-hypertension (90th-<95thpercentile) is 48,3%, and normal (<90thpercentile) is 48,3%, while based on diastolic blood
pressure are 18,3%, 50%, and 31,7%. There was a positive correlation between neck circumference and systolic blood pressure (p=0,001; r=0,414), also between neck circumference and diastolic blood pressure (p=0,004 r=0,370). There was a positive correlation between skinfold and systolic blood pressure(p=0,002; r=0,392), also between skinfold and diastolic blood pressure(p=0.004; r=0,368).
CONCLUSIONS: There was significant correlation between neck circumference and skinfold with blood pressure (systolic and diastolic blood pressure) in adolescents.
KEYWORDS: Neck circumference, skinfold, blood pressure, adolescence
