title: Adolescent health and personality: significance for adult health.
abstract: Prediction of health at middle age was studied in two longitudinal investigations of urban children: the Berkeley Guidance Study from birth to 42 years of age and the Oakland Growth Study from 11 through 50 years of age. Overall health ratings, weight status, blood pressure, and personality measures were analyzed. Weight/height ratios were highly stable from childhood to adolescence and moderately stable from adolescence to middle age. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures in adolescence were moderately predictive of adult status. Health ratings in adolescence were predictive of health ratings in middle age for female only. Teenage personality traits appear to have significance for adult health in that a calm, controlled personality in adolescence tends to be a significant forecaster of health in midlife. Male and female patterns differ in that female health appears to be influenced more by personality and experiential factors.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006262:Health; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory