Childhood obesity as a risk fator for the development of arterial hypertension: an integrative review

uma revisão integrativa

Abstract

The most relevant fator in the development of arterial hypertension in infancy is obesity. There has been a rapid increase in obesity in the last decades and it is considered an epidemic affecting all age groups, especially children. This paper aims at identifying childhood obesity as a risk fator for the development of arterial hypertension. It is an exploratory, descriptive and bibliographical study, as well as, an integrative literature review on articles available in the Virtual Health Library. The articles were produced in Brazil from 2000 to 2010 and retrieved from LILACS and ADOLEC databases using the intersection of descriptors “Obesity”, “Child”, and “Hypertension”. A total of 419 articles were found on the databases and only those which discussed childhood obesity as a risk fator for arterial hypertension were selected, totaling 11 publications. These were collected and summarized in a comparative table. The research results revealed that illnesses such as obesity and arterial hypertension, which were prevalent in the adult population, now affect also children in a similar way. To conclude, an early diagnosis and the implementation of obesity prevention strategies and promotion of health by a multidisciplinary team are of fundamental importance for a younger age group. Such measures could help future complications to the quality of life of these individuals.