Abstract
Background: Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat accumulates to an extent that it poses a negative effect on health, leading to decrease in life expectancy and increased health problems. Childhood obesity is an emerging global public health challenge such that obesity has now become the most important nutritional disease of the children and adolescents. The effect of adiposity and body mass index (BMI) on cardiovascular reactivity to stress invariably warrants documentation.

Aims and Objective: To assess the hemodynamic parameters and sympathetic autonomic function tests in obese children.

Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 100 obese school-going children (BMI of more than cutoff value for their respective age and sex) aged between 10 and 16 years belonging to varied socioeconomic status. An identical number of age/sex-matched nonobese/normal weight school-going children served as controls. The subjects were interviewed for age, personal/dietary habits, relevant recent or history, etc. The children presenting any medical ailment such as diabetes, asthma, heart disease, anxiety, apprehension, or with noncooperative attitude were excluded. General physical and relevant cardiovascular system examinations were done. Blood pressure, cold pressor test (CPT), and hand grip dynamometer test were done. Statistical analysis was done by using unpaired Student’s t-test.

Result: The study demonstrates a significant increase in body mass index, heart rate, and blood pressure in obese children, while insignificant change in the respiratory rate. The study demonstrates significant increase in maximum blood pressure response to CPT in obese male and female children, a significant increase in maximum systolic blood pressure response to hand grip dynamometer test, while insignificant decrease in maximum diastolic blood pressure response to hand grip dynamometer test in obese male and female children.

Conclusion: The study demonstrates the increased propensity of obese individuals to develop hypertension in basal conditions and in response to stress as revealed by CPT and decreased peripheral vascular response owing to decreased sympathetic activation during isometric exercise indicating a weak cardiorespiratory response to exercise.

Key words: Obesity; Children; Hemodynamic Parameters; Sympathetic Autonomic Function Tests