SOCIAL-STATUS AND CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASE RISK FACTOR VARIABLES IN CHILDREN - BOGALUSA HEART-STUDY

The effects of parental social status on several risk factor variables related to cardio-vascular disease were analyzed as part of a larger study on children, ages 5-14, in a biracial community. After controlling on education and occupation, we found that white children had significantly higher triglyceride levels across all social status groupings. In general, white children retained their higher values for both obesity indices and pre-β-lipoproteins; while black children continued to exhibit significantly higher blood pressure levels, total serum cholesterol, and α-lipoprotein after controlling on education and occupation. There were, however, some exceptions to this general trend. The first exception was found among children whose parents had a post-graduate education. Although the numbers are small, in this social grouping black children tended to have lower total serum cholesterol, lower α-lipoprotein, lower systolic blood pressure and higher pre-β-lipoprotein and triceps skinfold than white children. The second exception to the general trend occurred among the children of white-collar workers. The statistically significant differences between racial groups disappeared for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, pre-β-lipoprotein and α-lipoprotein. There was, however, a logical consistency in the direction of the findings. Upon closer examination of the data, a statistically significant U-shaped pattern (the lowest and highest educated parents had children with the highest values) existed in black children for triceps skinfold, and in white children for total serum cholesterol and α-lipoprotein values. The findings suggest that socio-economic factors may play a role in the overall picture of coronary artery disease and essential hypertension but the available methodology for assessing their relative contributions needs to be more precise. © 1979.