Prevalence and associated factors of pediatric hypertension in Jazan region, south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A pilot cross-sectional study.

Hypertension (HTN) is a primary global health concern. Moreover, according to the 2010 Global Burden of Disease, hypertension accounted for roughly a quarter of cardiovascular disease fatalities and 1.9 percent of all deaths in Saudi Arabia in 2010. Also, hypertension is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, morbidity, and mortality. However, assessing blood pressure (BP) and preventing hypertension among children and adolescents has become a global priority. This study aims to determine the prevalence of hypertension among children in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. Also, to determine the common risk factors associated with pediatric hypertension. We conducted this cross-sectional study among boys and girls aged 6-14 years visiting Al-Rashid Mall, one of the two main malls in Jazan city, the capital of Jazan region, Saudi Arabia, between November 2021 and January 2022. We included children willing to participate in the study after obtaining their parents' consent and children's assent. We used a standardized questionnaire to interview the parents to collect the children's data. We also measured the children's resting BP. Then we classified the measurements according to the updated International Pediatric Hypertension Association (IPHA) chart. We also measured the height and weight of the children and calculated their BMI. We used SPSS version 25 for the data entry and analysis. Our results showed that the prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension was insignificantly higher in females (11.84% and 12.65%) compared to males (11.52% and 11.52%), respectively. Our participants' main associated factors with prehypertension and hypertension were overweight, obesity, and family income. Pediatric hypertension and prehypertension were highly prevalent in Jazan region. Therefore, being overweight and obese should be considered risk factors for pediatric hypertension. Our study emphasizes the need for early intervention to prevent pediatric HTN, particularly among overweight and obese children.