Which is a cardiovascular consequence of pediatric obesity?

• A. Hypertension
• B. Obstructive sleep apnea
• C. Acanthosis nigricans
• D. Growth and puberty

Answer: (A)

Hypertension is the cardiovascular consequence here. In kids with obesity, excess body fat drives higher blood pressure through several interconnected mechanisms: increased sympathetic nervous system activity and activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system raise vascular resistance and plasma volume, while insulin resistance with hyperinsulinemia promotes sodium retention. Inflammation and endothelial dysfunction further contribute to arterial stiffness, all leading to elevated blood pressure. This risk starts in childhood and tracks into adulthood, increasing long-term cardiovascular harm.

Obstructive sleep apnea often accompanies obesity and can worsen blood pressure, but it is a sleep disorder rather than a direct cardiovascular outcome. Acanthosis nigricans signals insulin resistance, not a cardiovascular event by itself, and growth and puberty are developmental processes, not cardiovascular consequences.