Anthropometric Measures of Adiposity and Their Associations with Blood Pressure among Malay Adolescents Aged 18 to 19 Years Old in Terengganu

This study aims to explore association of anthropometric adiposity measures with blood pressure among Malays aged 18 to 19 years. Participants comprised 309 university students of Malay ethnicity residing in Kuala Nerus, Terengganu. This cross-sectional research study was done in April 2021 to August 2023. A total of 40.7% of participants were overweight/obese, 42.1% normal weight, and 17.5% underweight based on World Health Organisation (WHO)-Asian Body Mass Index (BMI) classification. Among this population, 15.5% of the students was considered as Hypertension (HPT) and 21.4% had Elevated Blood Pressure (EBP). Proportions of male students with HPT (35.7%) and EBP (29.8%) were significantly higher compared to female students (18% and 18.2%, respectively). Linear regression analysis indicated that BMI was a significant factor that influenced Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP), especially among female participants. Obese adolescents had 7.0 times higher odds of developing EBP/HPT compared to those in other BMI categories (aOR=6.97; 95% CI: 2.92, 16.6; p<0.05). The high prevalence of HPT and EBP raises concern, as the study also confirmed an association between obesity and blood pressure. In conclusion, anthropometric measures of adiposity were associated with increased odds of HPT. Thus, early identification of individuals with high-risk anthropometric adiposity is crucial to facilitate timely intervention and mitigate associated risks.