FAMILIAL AGGREGATION OF BLOOD-PRESSURE AND PONDERAL INDEXES - THE CUENCA STUDY, SPAIN

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the familial aggregati on of blood pressure and body mass index levels in schoolchildren of C uenca city, Spain. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross sectional study was m ade including 307 both sexes schoolchildren 9-12 years old recruited i n three schools of Cuenca city, and 346 of their parents. There were d etermined sociodemographics variables, weight, height, body mass index , SEP, DBP and fasting plasma total cholesterol, cLDL, cHDL and trigly ceride concentrations. RESULTS: Parents-children correlation coefficie nts in blood pressure levels ranged between -0.1 and 0.2. Parents-daug hters correlations were stronger than parents-sons in ponderal indexes . The relationship of ponderal indexes and blood pressure between spou ses was weak, with correlation coefficients between 0.08 y 0.1. By ste pwise multiple regression analysis it was found that the only variable that explained a significant percentage of blood pressure variability (both systolic and diastolic) was the weight of the schoolchildren in both sexes. Parents body mass index explained more than 32% of body m ass index daughter's variability, In sons any variable explained a sig nificant percentage of variability. CONCLUSIONS: The parents-children aggregation of blood pressure is weak. Parents-children aggregation of ponderal indexes is stronger, though there are considerable sex-diffe rences, Spouses relationship, though positive, is weak in all variable s.