Exercise, lipids, and obesity in adolescents with parental history of coronary disease.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to determine 1) if adolescents of parents with clinically manifest premature coronary artery disease (CAD) are less physically fit and habitually active, and have less favorable lipid profiles and more obesity than children of nonaffected parents, and 2) if aerobic fitness and activity are related to obesity and lipids in adolescents.


METHODS
Patients were identified in the Coronary Care Unit or out-patient clinic.  Adolescents were evaluated in the cardiovascular laboratories at the Francis Scott Key Medical Center.


METHODS
Comparisons between groups were tested with ANOVA:  Univariate and multivariate regression were used to assess relationships among study variables.


METHODS
Thirty-six children of affected parents, ages 12 to 19 years, and 29 comparison subjects participated in the study.


METHODS
Fitness was determined by treadmill testing, fasting blood was analyzed for lipoprotein lipids, habitual physical activity was measured by self-report, and the sum of six skinfolds was used to calculate obesity.


RESULTS
Total and LDL cholesterol were higher in girls with a parental history of CAD.  The sample size was too small to draw any definitive conclusions about differences, based on parental history in lipids or fitness in the boys, or obesity in both genders. Overall, joggers were more fit and less fat than nonjoggers.  Girls playing organized sports were more fit and less fat than nonparticipants.  Aerobic fitness correlated negatively with obesity in both genders; fitness was independently associated with HDL cholesterol only in the boys.


CONCLUSIONS
(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Stewart
K J
KJ
Division of Cardiology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21224.
Goldberg
A P
AP
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015142:Baltimore; D002648:Child; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012737:Sex Factors