Prevention of atherosclerosis among 11-year-old schoolchildren in two Moscow administrative districts

Abstract

A total of 4,213 boys and girls 11 years of age were screened in two Moscow administrative districts. Preventive measures were conducted in one district and were directed at excess body mass, systolic blood pressure, blood lipids (only among boys), cigarette smoking, and physical inactivity. A reference group of peers, who did not receive advice on prevention, was selected from another district. The intervention was targeted to three groups--schoolchildren, their parents, and teaching staff. It included round-table discussions, lectures, and the distribution of health-education materials relating to dietary habits and smoking. Over a 3-year period, these measures resulted in nonsignificant decline in the age-specific increase in body mass compared to the reference group. The intervention group had smaller subscapular skinfold thickness measurements than the reference group. These differences were significant. Mean systolic blood pressure increased with age in both groups. The increase was less in the intervention group than in the reference group and affected boys less than girls. A significant decrease in lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) was observed in the intervention district. We conclude that additional study is needed to evaluate more precisely the effectiveness of such prevention efforts.