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. 2021 Sep 16;18:E88. doi: 10.5888/pcd18.210058

Table 3. Prevalence of Elevated and Hypertensive Blood Pressurea by Sociodemographic Characteristics, US Children Aged 8 to 17 Years (N = 36,612,323)b, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011–2018.

Characteristic Elevated blood pressure
Hypertensive blood pressure
Prevalence, % (95% CI) Crude Prevalence Difference (95% CI) Prevalence Difference Adjusted for Overweight/Obesity, % (95% CI) Prevalence, % (95% CI) Crude Prevalence Difference (95% CI) Prevalence Difference Adjusted for Overweight/Obesity, % (95% CI)
BMI percentilec
Healthy weight,
<85
4.9 (4.1 to 5.9) Reference NA 2.2 (1.7 to 2.8) Reference NA
Overweight, ≥85 to <95 9.2 (7.1 to 12.0) 4.3 (1.8 to 6.8) 4.1 (2.7 to 6.1) 1.9 (0.3 to 3.5)
Obesity, ≥95 12.7 (10.7 to 15.1) 7.8 (5.7 to 9.9) 8.6 (6.9 to 10.9) 6.4 (4.3 to 8.6)
Age, y
8–9 5.9 (4.4 to 8.0) Reference Reference 6.0 (4.6 to 8.0) Reference Reference
10–12 4.3 (3.2 to 6.0) −1.6 (−3.6 to 0.5) −1.7 (−3.6 to 0.3) 4.0 (3.0 to 5.3) −2.1 (−4.1 to 0.02) −1.5 (−3.6 to 0.7)
13–15 7.0 (5.6 to 8.8) 1.1 (−1.2 to 3.4) 0.7 (−1.5 to 2.8) 2.0 (1.4 to 2.8) −4.1 (−5.9 to −2.3) −3.8 (−5.6 to −2.0)
16–17 12.8 (10.4 to 15.8) 6.9 (3.7 to 10.2) 6.3 (3.2 to 9.4) 4.5 (3.2 to 6.3) −1.6 (−3.9 to 0.8) −1.4 (−3.6 to 0.7)
Sex
Female 4.9 (3.9 to 6.1) Reference Reference 3.0 (2.2 to 4.1) Reference Reference
Male 9.6 (8.1 to 11.2) 4.6 (2.8 to 6.5) 4.6 (2.7 to 6.4) 4.7 (3.7 to 5.9) 1.7 (0.2 to 3.2) 1.3 (−0.2 to 2.8)
Race/ethnicity
Non-Latino White 6.3 (5.1 to 7.9) Reference Reference 3.2 (2.4 to 4.3) Reference Reference
Non-Latino Black 10.4 (8.8 to 12.1) 4.0 (2.1 to 5.9) 4.0 (2.2 to 5.8) 4.4 (3.3 to 5.8) 1.2 (−0.3 to 2.7) 0.5 (−0.8 to 1.9)
Mexican American 8.4 (6.8 to 10.5) 2.1 (−0.1 to 4.3) 1.6 (−0.5 to 3.7) 5.2 (3.9 to 6.8) 2.0 (0.1 to 3.9) 1.3 (−0.4 to 2.9)
Other Latinod 8.0 (6.0 to 10.6) 1.7 (−0.9 to 4.3) 1.7 (−0.7 to 4.1) 3.9 (2.4 to 6.2) 0.7 (−1.2 to 2.6) 0.3 (−1.5 to 2.0)
Non-Latino Asiand 4.6 (2.9 to 7.4) −1.7 (−4.5 to 1.0) −0.2 (−2.8 to 2.5) 4.3 (2.8 to 6.4) 1.1 (−0.7 to 2.9) 1.5 (−0.2 to 3.1)
Otherd , e 6.7 (4.2 to 10.7) 0.4 (−2.9 to 3.7) 0.2 (−2.7 to 3.1) 5.5 (3.5 to 8.6) 2.3 (−0.4 to 5.1) 1.9 (−0.6 to 4.4)
Family education
≥College graduate 5.4 (4.0 to 7.4) Reference Reference 3.9 (2.7 to 5.5) Reference Reference
High school diploma/GED/some college 8.0 (6.8 to 9.4) 2.5 (0.6 to 4.5) 1.6 (−0.3 to 3.5) 3.8 (3.0 to 4.9) −0.02 (−1.7 to 1.7) −0.7 (−2.4 to 0.9)
<High school diploma 8.0 (6.5 to 9.9) 2.6 (0.4 to 4.8) 2.1 (0.0 to 4.3) 3.8 (2.8 to 5.2) −0.06 (−1.8 to 1.7) −0.5 (−2.3 to 1.3)
Family incomef
High 5.8 (4.2 to 7.9) Reference Reference 3.1 (2.1 to 4.5) Reference Reference
Medium 7.8 (6.5 to 9.2) 2.0 (−0.3 to 4.2) 1.3 (−1.1 to 3.6) 4.0 (3.1 to 5.2) 0.9 (−0.7 to 2.6) 0.4 (−0.9 to 1.7)
Low 8.4 (7.3 to 9.6) 2.2 (0.4 to 4.0) 1.4 (−0.4 to 3.2) 4.6 (3.6 to 5.8) 1.4 (−0.2 to 3.0) 0.6 (−0.8 to 2.1)

Abbreviation: NA, not applicable.

a

Hypertensive and elevated blood pressure determined by 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines. Hypertensive: blood pressure percentile ≥95 or average blood pressure ≥130/80 mm Hg (whichever was lower) for children aged 8–12 years and ≥130/80 mm Hg for children aged ≥ 13 years. Elevated blood pressure: ≥90th percentile to <95th percentile or 120/<80 mm Hg to <95th percentile (whichever is lower) for children aged 8–12 years and 120/<80 to 129/<80 mm  Hg for children aged 13 to 17 years.

b

Unweighted, N = 5,971.

c

BMI (weight in kg/height in m2) as percentile according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2000 growth charts.

d

Had fewer than 30 participants; therefore, did not meet NHANES reporting standards in the hypertensive category.

e

Includes American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and mixed race.

f

Determined by family poverty income ratio; family income divided by Department of Health and Human Services poverty guidelines (specific to family size, year and sate of residence). High PIR = >3.5, medium PIR = ≥1.3 to <3.5, low PIR = <1.3.