OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and analyze their association with sociodemographic variables among adolescents from the town Três de Maio, state of Rio Grande do Sul. METHODS: Cross-sectional and school-based study with a probabilistic sample method, stratified by sex and economic level, comprised of 660 14 to 19 year-old adolescents, 343 girls (52%). We investigated behavioral (inactivity, atherogenic diet, smoking) and biological (overweight and excess abdominal adiposity, prehypertension/hypertension, hyperglycemia and dyslipidemias) risk factors and their association with sociodemographic variables (gender, age and economic level). Associations were tested using the chi-square test and prevalence ratio (95% confidence interval) among risk factors and sociodemographic variables. RESULTS: The most prevalent cardiovascular risk factors were: atherogenic diet (98.3%), inactivity (61.2%), increased abdominal adiposity (32.6%), low high-density lipoprotein (25.9%), and increased total cholesterol (20.3%). Significant associations were found between being female and sedentary [prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.33 (1.17 - 1.50)], excess abdominal fat [PR = 2.44 (1.89 - 3.16)] and high total cholesterol [RP = 1.89 (1.36 - 2.62)]; and, between males and low levels of high density lipoprotein [RP = 2.22 (1.67 - 2.94)] and prehypertension/hypertension [RP = 4.87 (1.67 - 14.23)]. There was also an association between the 17 to 19 age group and smoking [OR = 1.84 (1.05 - 3.22)] and blood prehypertension/hypertension [RP = 3.36 (1.43 - 7.90)]. Economic level was not associated with cardiovascular risk factors in our sample. CONCLUSION: The results indicate the need for interventions that promote a healthy lifestyle, with emphasis on adopting a healthy diet and increasing levels of physical activity.
Risk factors; Cardiovascular diseases; Prevalence; Atherosclerosis; Adolescent Health
