Hereditary and environmental influences on cardiovascular risk factors for children: the Bogalusa Heart Study

Abstract

This paper reports on a study of all school-age children from Bogalusa, Louisiana, examined during the 1973-1974 and 1976-1977 school years by personnel of the Specialized Center of Research-Arteriosclerosis. For these children, the authors estimated the proportion of total variability in risk factors for atherosclerosis resulting from the influences of heredity (h2) and of common environment (c2). The authors' method of classifying half siblings underestimated h2 but overestimated c2. The results showed statistically significant values of h2 for height (0.91), weight (0.90), systolic blood pressure (.137), triglycerides (0.88), beta-lipoprotein (1.16), and alpha-lipoprotein (0.63). In addition, c2 was statistically significant for height (0.20), weight (0.32), triceps skinfold (0.19), systolic blood pressure (0.30), beta-lipoprotein (0.21), and alpha-lipoprotein (0.13). Because of the definition of c2, all traits for which it is significant must increase in value for some Bogalusa environments, and decrease for others. Therefore, for such traits, future analyses may identify favorable common environments that intervention studies can use to decrease the risk of atherosclerosis in Bogalusa. The values found for h2 and c2 in Bogalusa were compared and contrasted with values found for other communities.