A Significant Association Between Nutritional Status and Hypertension Among Adolescents

Abstract

Hypertension in adolescents is an increasingly significant public health issue. Data from the 2025 Free Health Check-Up (FHC) Program in Magetan Regency reported that 13.4% of senior high school students were pre-hypertensive, 7.0% had Stage 1 hypertension, and 1.6% had Stage 2 hypertension; at SMAN 2 Magetan, the prevalence was even higher at 28.7%, 13.1%, and 2.2%, respectively. Nutritional problems were also prominent, with 29.3% of students undernourished, 8.9% overweight, and 3.5% obese. This study aimed to examine the association between nutritional status and hypertension incidence among Grade X students at SMAN 2 Magetan in 2025. An observational analytic study with a cross-sectional design was conducted. Of 313 Grade X students, 176 were selected through simple random sampling. Nutritional status (BMI, WHO 2007 criteria) was assessed as the independent variable, while hypertension incidence (AAP 2017 criteria) served as the dependent variable. Secondary data from the 2025 FHC Program were analyzed using the Spearman Rank Correlation test (α = 0.05). Most students had normal nutritional status (54.55%) and normal blood pressure (43.75%). The Spearman test showed r = 0.158 and p = 0.037 (p < 0.05), indicating a statistically significant but very weak positive correlation between nutritional status and hypertension incidence. As a cross-sectional study relying on single-point blood pressure measurement, causal interpretation and identification of white-coat effects were limited. In conclusion, nutritional status is significantly associated with hypertension incidence among adolescents, although the correlation is very weak. These findings highlight the need for strengthened school-based health promotion to prevent early-onset hypertension and its long-term consequences.

Keywords: nutritional status; hypertension; adolescents