Mapping Early Health Risks: Fast Food Consumption, Body Mass Index, and Blood Pressure in Urban School Students.
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Abstract
Abstract: Obesity and hypertension in adolescents are increasingly alarming public health problems globally and nationally. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a sharp increase in the number of children and adolescents (aged 5–19 years) who are overweight, reaching approximately 390 million by 2022. This study aims to determine the relationship between the frequency of fast food consumption and the incidence of obesity and elevated blood pressure among students. This analytical study employed a cross-sectional design on students in grades VIII and IX of SMP Muhammadiyah 3 Medan. Sampling was conducted using a proportionate stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected through interviews regarding fast food consumption frequency, along with anthropometric measurements (Body Weight, Height, BMI) and blood pressure measurements. The prevalence of obesity (including overweight) among the respondents was 35.7% (obesity alone was 16.7%). Fast food consumption was categorized as high, with 82.1% of respondents identified as "Frequent" consumers. Fisher's Exact Test showed no statistically significant relationship between the frequency of fast food consumption and obesity (p=0.557), nor with elevated blood pressure (p=0.384). There is no statistically significant relationship between the frequency of fast food consumption and the incidence of obesity and elevated blood pressure in this student population.
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