ArticleBMJ open2021
Cardiometabolic risk factors and early indicators of vascular dysfunction: a cross-sectional cohort study in South African adolescents.
Article in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 29 citations in OpenAlex.
- Hidden morbidity in early adulthood: Discrepancies between self-reported and screening-detected health conditions among university students in Ghana.Global epidemiology · 2026Article
- A comparative analysis of non-communicable disease risk among adolescents aged 12 to 18 in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, with regard to sex, school quintiles, and perceived stress.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Risk factor clusters for non-communicable diseases in adolescents in Eastern Cape, South Africa.Health SA = SA Gesondheid · 2025Article
- Hypertension care cascade and their determinants among older adolescents in India: evidence from a nationally representative cross-sectional survey.Journal of human hypertension · 2024Article
- Assessment of the Performance of Obesity Measures in the Screening of Hypertension in a South African Adolescent Population.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Hypertension among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2023Review
- Association between obesity and lung function in South African adolescents of African Ancestry.BMC pediatrics · 2022Article
- Classification of African Native Plant Foods Based on Their Processing Levels.Frontiers in nutrition · 2022Review
- Assessment of Anthropometric Indices for Optimal Cut-Offs for Obesity Screening in a South African Adolescent Population.Biology · 2021Article
- Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases and Vascular Function: The Concept of Autoimmune Atherosclerosis.Journal of clinical medicine · 2021Review
- A Pilot Study: Hypertension, Endothelial Dysfunction and Retinal Microvasculature in Rheumatic Autoimmune Diseases.Journal of clinical medicine · 2021Article
- COVID-19 and its effects on endothelium in HIV-positive patients in sub-Saharan Africa: Cardiometabolic risk, thrombosis and vascular function (ENDOCOVID STUDY).BMC infectious diseases · 2021Observational
- Assessment of the impact of HIV infection and anti-retroviral treatment on the cardiometabolic health of pregnant mothers and their offspring (ARTMOMSBABES).BMC cardiovascular disorders · 2021Article
- Article
- Assessment of the Cardiovascular Risk Profile of Infants Exposed to Pre-eclampsiaFrontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2021Article
- An Overview of Vascular Dysfunction and Determinants: The Case of Children of African Ancestry.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2021Review
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Authors and funding
12 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesPrevalence of child and adolescents' overweight and obesity in low- and middle-income countries has increased dramatically. Simultaneously, the incidence of pre-hypertension/hypertension is also increasing in children, which, in turn, predisposes these children to the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in later life. The present study assessed cardiometabolic risk factors and early indicators of vascular dysfunction in adolescents from a low socio-economic rural area in South Africa.
designCross-sectional cohort study.
settingThe study was conducted in public schools in Mthatha, OR Tambo district municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
participantsA total of 244 adolescents (188 females) of African ancestry aged 13-16 years were enrolled. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Anthropometric and haemodynamic measures and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were related to overweight/obesity and hypertension. Blood markers of cardiometabolic syndrome were assessed as well as vascular function (via PWV).
resultsOne-third (33.0%) of the adolescents exceeded the age and sex-specific body mass index percentiles for overweight (≥85th) or obesity (>95th) with a prevalence of 61.1% pre-hypertensives in this group. Overweight/obesity and hypertension were associated with higher triglycerides (lean:overweight: 0.79<1.01 mmol/L; normotensive:hypertensive: 0.82<0.89 mmol/L). Fasting glucose was higher in hypertensive as compared to normotensive adolescents (4.85>4.69 mmol/L, p<0.05). PWV was elevated in 25.9% of the children and significantly correlated with asymmetric dimethylarginine and systolic blood pressure (p<0.001).
conclusionOverweight/obesity and hypertension show a high prevalence in rural South African youth. Almost half of the studied adolescents are at risk for developing CVD. The high association between cardiometabolic risk factors and PWV further suggests that hypertension in adolescents may promote the progression of CVD in adulthood. Early detection of those at risk and the implementation of preventive strategies in underprivileged young people is urgently needed to stop the progression of vascular damage and manifestation of CVD in rural African children.
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