title: Role of genetic and environmental factors in the increased blood pressures of Bolivian blacks.
abstract: The tendency toward hypertension or higher blood pressure is more common in blacks than whites. The factors that account for these differences are attributed to both environmental and genetic factors. To clarify this issue, an anthropological study of black and nonblack populations in the lowland village of Chicaloma, northeastern Bolivia at a midaltitude of 1,800 m was conducted. The study included 159 subjects, of which 79 were black and 80 were nonblack, 17-78 years. The study suggests the following: (1) the socioeconomic status of blacks as measured by an ownership index is greater than that of nonblacks, (2) blacks had higher average systolic and diastolic blood pressures than nonblacks and showed an age-associated increase in blood pressures, (3) the prevalence of hypertension was higher for blacks (7-6%) than nonblacks (1.3%), but three times lower than among blacks in the United States, (4) skin reflectance is inversely related to blood pressures so that contrary to what has been suggested the darker the skin color, the higher the blood pressures even at comparable levels of affluence. These findings together suggest that genetic factors predispose black individuals to increased blood pressures, but the expression of clinical hypertension is influenced by adverse unaccounted environmental factors. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 11:489-498, 1999. Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Growth and Development and Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
authors.forename: A. Roberto
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Frisancho
authors.forename: S.
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farrow
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Friedenzohn
authors.forename: Tiffany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kapp
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: Isha
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rauchle
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wheatcroft
authors.forename: Lita
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Woodill
authors.forename: Irma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ayllon
authors.forename: Diva
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bellido
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Machicao
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Villena
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vargas