title: Skin color, ancestry, and blood pressure among whites in Erie County, New York.
abstract: This study examines (1) the construct validity of a rank-order skin color measure and (2) interrelationships of skin color, ancestry, and blood pressure in a random survey of 763 white non-Hispanic and white Hispanic household residents in Erie County, NY. Skin color was significantly lighter among older respondents (P < .001) and among females (P < .0001). Skin color was lightest among Northern Europeans and darkest among Mediterraneans and white Hispanics (P < .0001). Higher systolic blood pressure was significantly associated with both darker skin color (P < .05) and northern European ancestry (P < .05). Several mechanisms to account for these findings are proposed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gleiberman
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Harburg
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Frone
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005060:Europe / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D012923:Social Class; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers