The relationship among attitudes, behaviors, and biomedical measures of adolescents "at risk" for cardiovascular disease.

This study monitored trends in health behavior and attitudes of 93 adolescents who, according to clinical measures, were classified "at risk" for cardiovascular disease and determined the relationship among their health status, behavior, and attitude over a four-year period. Data collected included biomedical measures and self-reported health behaviors and attitudes. A greater proportion of "at risk" students reported negative health behavior changes in smoking, diet, alcohol, and stress. However, a positive health behavior trend was noted with respect to smokeless tobacco use declining from a high of 14% as freshmen to 8% as seniors. Also, students appeared sensitive to the potentially harmful effects of smoking. In general, a positive relationship existed among health status, health attitudes, and behavior. The findings justify screening to identify students "at risk" and beginning early intervention to prevent chronic disease in later life.

A three-year study of obesity and its relationship to high blood pressure in adolescents.

A sample of 356 matched cases were tracked for three years during high school. Measures taken included self-reported behavior and clinical measures of height, weight, skinfold, blood pressure, and body mass index. Data were analyzed by ethnic group, age, and sex groups. Three year (1981-1982 to 1984-1985) trends for students who were overfat, overweight, and obese revealed: a relatively greater proportion of female to male students were overfat as seniors; overweight trends for each of the four groups (ethnic group and gender) were stable over the study period; a sharp increase of obesity trends among black females was observed; and significant positive relationships existed between Percent Ideal Body Weight, skinfold thickness, Body Mass Index, and blood pressure among females of both ethnic groups. The hypothesis that the early onset of obesity is an indicator of obesity in older adolescents was supported. Students classified at risk as freshmen are more likely to remain at risk as seniors.