CARDIOVASCULAR RISK-FACTORS AMONG CHILDREN AFTER A 21 2 YEAR INTERVENTION - THE CATCH STUDY/

Background. Cardiovascular risk factors and related behaviors begin du ring youth. Methods. As part of the Child and Adolescent Trial for Car diovascular Health, 4,019 children from four states and representing m ultiple ethnic groups were measured for selected risk factors both at baseline and after 2 1/2 years of intervention. Common protocols were used for both examinations at the four sites. Results. Overall, change s in obesity, blood pressure, and serum lipids in the intervention gro up, compared with the control group, were not statistically significan t. Total cholesterol, the primary physiologic outcome measure, decreas ed by 1.3 mg/dl over time in the intervention group and by 0.9 mg/dl ( P > 0.05) in the control group. Different risk factor patterns for boy s and girls and among three ethnic groups were noted. Conclusions. Alt hough the school-based program effected significant institutional chan ges in food service and physical education class and although the chil dren made significant changes in eating and physical activity behavior s, these did not translate to significant changes in risk factors at t hese ages. These behavioral changes, however, if sustained into adulth ood, have the potential to influence cardiovascular risk reduction. (C ) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.