The potential role of biotin as dietary risk marker for hypertension in black South African children — the THUSA BANA study

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether biotin intake might contribute to the aetiology of hypertension in black children. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: North West province, South Africa. Subjects: Children between 10 and 15 years of age were recruited from each of 30 schools over a period of 2 years (2000 - 2001). These children comprised 321 boys and 373 girls from communities ranging from rural to urbanised. The hypertensive group included 40 boys and 79 girls with highnormal to hypertensive blood pressure. The normotensive group consisted of 281 boys and 294 girls. Main outcome measures: Dietary intake, cardiovascular parameters. Results. Biotin intake in all groups was below the adequate intake level of 20 μg/d. In the stepwise regression analysis biotin was significantly associated (p ≤ 0.05) with systolic and diastolic blood pressure along with arterial compliance and stroke volume of the hypertensive group. No significant associations were indicated for the normotensive group. Conclusions: This study is the first to show that biotin might be a possible risk marker for the aetiology of hypertension in black children. Since dietary habits are potentially modifiable, the manipulation of diet could have a significant impact not only on blood pressure levels, but also on rise in blood pressure with age. This means that there is a need for further research concerning the effect of biotin on adults.