THE EMERGENCE OF CLINICALLY ABNORMAL LEVELS OF CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASERISK FACTOR VARIABLES AMONG YOUNG-ADULTS - THE BOGALUSA HEART-STUDY

Background. The Bogalusa Heart Study, a long-term epidemiologic invest igation of the early natural history of atherosclerosis, was conducted for the first time in 1973-1974 on children from birth through the ag e of 14 in a biracial (black-white) population. Methods. The emergence of clinically recognizable abnormalities (obesity, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia) was studied in 1,928 young adults, ages 19-32 years, e xamined in the 1988-1998 survey. Results. The occurrence of morbid lev els of cardiovascular disease risk factors varied by race and gender. The prevalence of severe overweight, body mass index greater than or e qual to 31.1 kg/m(2) for males and greater than or equal to 32.3 kg/m( 2) for females, was much higher for black women (20.1%) than for white women (8.7%), black men (14.0%), or white men (11.7%). The frequency of hypertension [systolic blood pressure (BP) greater than or equal to 140 mm Hg, diastolic BP greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg, or treatme nt for high BP] was greatest for black women (13.9%) versus black men (10.1%), white men (6.2%), or white women (5.0%). Approximately 9.5% o f the men and 6% of the women had elevated LDL cholesterol (160% mg/dl ), while elevated triglycerides (greater than or equal to 250 mg/dl) r anged from 0% in black females to 7.4% in white males. Dyslipoproteine mia related to HDL cholesterol (less than or equal to 35 mg/dl) was mo re marked among white men (16%) compared with the other groups (approx imately 4%). Correlations for risk factors in a subgroup of 1,587 indi viduals initially surveyed as children in 1973-1974 were examined as a n indication of tracking over a 15-year period. Highly significant cor relations were seen for obesity, blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol. Conclusion. Early identification of adverse levels of cardiovascular d isease risk factors defined by clinical experience should help to pred ict and prevent future cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.