Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved

Abstract:

Objective. To determine the risk of cardiovascular diseases and differences by sex in adolescents in a highly-marginalized locality in Yucatan. Methods. The study was carried out with high school students (n = 170). Weight, height, age, waist circumference, and blood pressure were recorded; the indicators height/age, body mass index (BMI)/age, waist circumference/height, and systolic blood pressure/height were calculated. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were calculated. Results. Concerning height/age, only 44.1% of the adolescents had normal height, while 55.2% had low or severely low height. Concerning waist circumference/height, 26% presented a cardiovascular risk, more frequently in women (p<.05) than in men; of the adolescents, 8.8% registered prehypertension/hypertension. Conclusions. Risk factors found in the population, confer susceptibility to health risks due to age, poverty, and social marginalization. It is necessary to carry out intervention programs for adolescents from highly-marginalized communities.