title: Anthropometric measures, fitness and habitual physical activity in offspring of hypertensive parents. Dutch Hypertension and Offspring Study.
abstract: As part of the Dutch Hypertension and Offspring Study, subjects with contrasting risk for hypertension according to their parental history of hypertension were compared with respect to anthropometric measures and measures of fitness and physical activity. Body height, weight, two skinfolds, and blood pressure at rest were measured. Fitness was evaluated by a maximal exercise test, and habitual physical activity was assessed using a questionnaire. No differences were observed in body mass index after adjustment for slight differences in age and proportion of men between the groups (difference between groups: 0.74 kg/m2, 95% CI: -0.30, 1.78). Offspring of hypertensive parents, however, had significantly more central fat (difference between groups: 2.32 mm, 95% CI: 0.18, 4.46). No differences in fitness or physical activity were present between the two groups. The results of this study indicate a potential role for central fat in the etiology of primary hypertension. Fitness or habitual physical activity are, however, not different between groups of subjects at different risk for future hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Erasmus University Medical School, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: de Visser
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: van Hooft
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: van Doornen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Orlebeke
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Grobbee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D001824:Body Constitution / Q000502:physiology*; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012885:Skinfold Thickness