TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in schoolchildren in a rural Georgia community
AU - Davis, Catherine L.
AU - Flickinger, Brent
AU - Moore, Donna
AU - Bassali, Reda
AU - Baxter, Suzanne Domel
AU - Yin, Zenong
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by a State of Georgia Biomedical Initiative grant to the Georgia Center for the Prevention of Obesity and Related Disorders, a collaboration among investigators at Medical College of Georgia (Principal Investigator: Dr. Suzanne Baxter) and University of Georgia (Principal Investigator: Dr. Rebecca Mullis).
PY - 2005/8
Y1 - 2005/8
N2 - Background: In the context of a national childhood obesity epidemic, this study sought to document the cardiovascular risk status of children in a rural Georgia community. Methods: Anthropometrics and blood pressure were measured in 211 children, and fasting glucose and lipid profile in 160, recruited from schools in 2002 (grades 2 to 11, ages 7 to 18 years). Results: Nearly half the schoolchildren (48%) were overweight or at risk of overweight; 15% had metabolic syndrome. Overweight children were at higher risk for metabolic syndrome and had more risk factors. Blood pressure: 19% had elevated systolic blood pressure; 4% had elevated diastolic blood pressure. Glycemia: 14% had impaired fasting glucose levels; no diabetes cases were detected. Lipid profile: 26% had high total cholesterol (>170 mg/dL), 20% had high low-density lipoprotein (>110 mg/dL), 13% had high triglycerides (>150 mg/dL), 43% had low high-density lipoprotein (females, <50 mg/dL; males, <40 mg/dL). Ethnicity, gender, and grade level were not predictive of risk except that fewer black children had low high-density lipoprotein, and blood pressure and body mass index increased with grade, as expected. Conclusions: Results from this study indicate a significant problem with overweight and cardiovascular risk in rural schoolchildren. Notably, younger children were just as likely to have risk factors as adolescents, suggesting that screening and intervention ought to begin by school age. Ethnic and gender differences in prevalence were not found, suggesting that contextual factors in a rural setting may outweigh demographic influences on risk.
AB - Background: In the context of a national childhood obesity epidemic, this study sought to document the cardiovascular risk status of children in a rural Georgia community. Methods: Anthropometrics and blood pressure were measured in 211 children, and fasting glucose and lipid profile in 160, recruited from schools in 2002 (grades 2 to 11, ages 7 to 18 years). Results: Nearly half the schoolchildren (48%) were overweight or at risk of overweight; 15% had metabolic syndrome. Overweight children were at higher risk for metabolic syndrome and had more risk factors. Blood pressure: 19% had elevated systolic blood pressure; 4% had elevated diastolic blood pressure. Glycemia: 14% had impaired fasting glucose levels; no diabetes cases were detected. Lipid profile: 26% had high total cholesterol (>170 mg/dL), 20% had high low-density lipoprotein (>110 mg/dL), 13% had high triglycerides (>150 mg/dL), 43% had low high-density lipoprotein (females, <50 mg/dL; males, <40 mg/dL). Ethnicity, gender, and grade level were not predictive of risk except that fewer black children had low high-density lipoprotein, and blood pressure and body mass index increased with grade, as expected. Conclusions: Results from this study indicate a significant problem with overweight and cardiovascular risk in rural schoolchildren. Notably, younger children were just as likely to have risk factors as adolescents, suggesting that screening and intervention ought to begin by school age. Ethnic and gender differences in prevalence were not found, suggesting that contextual factors in a rural setting may outweigh demographic influences on risk.
KW - Adolescent
KW - Child
KW - Obesity
KW - Risk factors
KW - Rural health
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U2 - 10.1097/00000441-200508000-00001
DO - 10.1097/00000441-200508000-00001
M3 - Article
C2 - 16103784
AN - SCOPUS:23744513293
SN - 0002-9629
VL - 330
SP - 53
EP - 59
JO - American Journal of the Medical Sciences
JF - American Journal of the Medical Sciences
IS - 2
ER -