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It is possible that the offspring of hypertensive people are in a stage of prehypertension, even when their blood pressure is normal. This could be true if insulin resistance precedes hypertension and obesity, and is not caused by these conditions. (Insulin resistance is the inability of insulin to affect glucose utilization in cells.) Seventy healthy, nonobese people with hypertensive parents were compared with 78 people (controls) whose parents had normal blood pressure with respect to insulin sensitivity, blood insulin and glucose levels, and blood lipoprotein levels (not all tests were carried out in all subjects). Participants ate a standardized diet for three days before each test was performed. Systolic blood pressure was slightly higher in the offspring of hypertensive parents; no differences were seen in diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, or fasting blood glucose concentrations. Children of hypertensive parents had increased fasting insulin levels, as well as higher levels of total triglycerides and total cholesterol; low-density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol; very-low-density-lipoprotein or VLDL cholesterol; and total/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol or LDL plus VLDL/HDL cholesterol ratios. These subjects also had lower insulin sensitivity indexes and higher basal and postglucose-load (after ingestion of glucose) blood insulin levels. The findings show that young people with normal blood pressure and good health with one hypertensive parent have subtle disturbances of glucose metabolism and blood insulin and fat levels. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)