Blood pressure distribution in children at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

A study of blood pressure levels in 626 apparently healthy children aged 8 to 16 years in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea showed that blood pressure gradually increased with age, was generally higher in females and correlated positively (p less than 0.001) with age, body weight, height and an index of obesity. Body weight and height appear to be the most important predictors of blood pressure. Of the children examined, 32 (5.1%) had elevated blood pressures which were more than two standard deviations above the mean.