The scope of this study was to identify the prevalence of systemic arterial hypertension among adolescent students (aged 17-19 years) in the third and final year of high school in state schools in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, and to investigate associations between systemic arterial hypertension and obesity and physical activity levels. Data on arterial pressure, body mass index and physical activity were gathered. The analysis included 854 individuals. Descriptive statistical analysis was applied to the sample, along with a Poisson regression model to determine the impact of the variables on the prevalence of systemic arterial hypertension. The prevalence of systemic arterial hypertension was 19.4%. Male sex, overweight and obesity presented significant positive associations with systemic arterial hypertension (p < 0.05), while physical activity was not shown to be significantly associated with systemic arterial hypertension (p > 0.05). The nature of these relationships should be interpreted in the light of reflection and not of passive labeling based on hegemonic concepts.