title: Relationship of demographic, life-style, and stress variables to blood pressure in adolescents.
abstract: The relationship of selected predictor variables to blood pressures of freshman students (N = 323) attending rural, urban, and suburban high schools was examined. Independent variables included 7 anthropometric and demographic factors, 10 life-style factors, and 38 stress factors. Significant predictors of higher systolic pressure in the regression analysis were age, gender, body mass index, and urban residence. Urban subjects also had poorer health habits. Significant predictors of diastolic pressure were body mass index, smoking, and lack of regular exercise. Gender differences in amount and types of stressors were independent of geographic location. Males and females exhibited different dietary and exercise patterns; males exercised more, but had less healthy eating habits.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001835:Body Weight; D003710:Demography; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013383:Suburban Population; D013714:Tennessee; D014505:Urban Population