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BLOOD PRESSURE OF CHILDREN, AGES 2½–5½ YEARS, IN A TOTAL COMMUNITY—THE BOGALUSA HEART STUDY

Authors :
Antonie W. Voors
Gerald S. Berenson
Larry S. Webber
Source :
American Journal of Epidemiology. 107:403-411
Publication Year :
1978
Publisher :
Oxford University Press (OUP), 1978.

Abstract

Eighty per cent of all identified children 2 1/2-5 1/2 years old in a total geographic community in Bogalusa, Louisiana, were examined for cardiovascular disease risk factor variables, including blood pressure (BP), anthropometric measurements, and blood lipids. Blood pressure was measured by three instrument types, each with three readings, according to a rigid, randomized design. Results from the three instruments were compared, and potential biases for each instrument are listed. All observations on the children were analyzed by multiple regression with BP as the dependent variable. After controlling for the mood of the child, the authors found that some index of body size was positively related to BP, whereas age, race, and serum lipids were not consistently related. The regressions of blood pressure on height as well as on log weight fit straight lines. These results conform with the findings for the 5- to 14-year-olds in this community. The basal or fundamental reference blood pressure is likely to rise gradually from birth to the age of incipient adult stature, and to be linearly related to height and to log weight. Changes observed over time are needed to relate BP levels in childhood to the early natural history of essential hypertension.

Details

ISSN :
14766256 and 00029262
Volume :
107
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
American Journal of Epidemiology
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........170d7925d958ae3370a3fae52e3a8fe6
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112558