Studies of blood pressure in schoolchildren (ages 6--19) and their parents in an integrated suburban school district

Abstract

Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), along with demographic and anthropometric variables were assessed in a biracial group of schoolchildren and parents in an integrated suburban school district: 682 schoolchildren, ages 6--19, including 268 white males, 236 white females, 85 black males and 93 black females; 362 adults, ages 20--64, including 142 white males, 159 white females, 20 black males and 41 black females. There were no significant black-white SBP or DBP differences in children, while SBP and DBP were higher in adult blacks than whites. Using multiple regression analysis, with BP as the dependent variable, SBP in children was significantly associated with pulse, weight, skinfold thickness, age and height; DBP was significantly associated with age, pulse, weight, and skinfold thickness. Race, sex, and education of the head of household did not significantly enter the multiple regression matrix for children's BP. Respectively, 29% and 22% of the variance of the children's SBP and DBP was accounted for by the measured variables. In adults, SBP was significantly related to weight, race, pulse, and age; DBP was significantly related to weight, race, age, and skinfold thickness. Respectively, 27% and 24% of the variance of the adults' SBP and DBP was accounted for by the measured variables. Covariance adjusted mean SBP and DBP were higher in hypertriglyceridemic than in hypotriglyceridemic children (p = 0.001), and were lower in hyperalpha-lipoproteinemic than hypoalpha-lipoproteinemic children (p less than or equal to 0.03). Children in an integrated school district may have shared behaviors, goals, and environments contributing to shared BP, while differing environmental factors may become amplified with age and life experience and contribute to higher BP in black adults.