14 YEAR CHANGES IN ADIPOSITY AND BLOOD-PRESSURE IN AMERICAN-SAMOAN ADULTS

A cohort of 194 American Samoan adults with no history of antihyperten sive treatment was seen at two times, 14 years apart, 1976 and 1990. A nthropometric and blood pressure (BP) data in 1976 and 1990, and the c hanges, were described and correlated within age (<40 and greater than or equal to 40 years) and sex groups. These Samoans are characterized by massive adiposity and body mass, as well as high prevalence and in cidence of overweight and hypertension. The younger group had a notabl e mean increase in the body mass index (BMI) and fatness over 14 years , whereas only younger females had BP increases. Among older females t here were small negative mean changes, and in older males small positi ve mean changes in BMI and skinfolds. In both older males and females, systolic BP increased markedly with little mean change in diastolic B P. There was substantial heterogeneity around the mean changes in all sex-age groups. Adiposity in 1976, assessed by the BMI and skinfolds, was positively related to follow-up BP in all groups except older male s. Changes in adiposity were positively related to changes in BP in al l groups. Multiple regression analyses showed that change in BMI and a ge were positively related to 1990 BP after adjustment for baseline BP . (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.