Cardiovascular disease risk factors are elevated in urban minority children enrolled in head start.
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of obesity and overweight persists in the preschool population, despite some prevention and treatment advances, particularly in minorities. Investigating the prevalence of dyslipidemia and the effect of family health may also guide the focus of intervention efforts.


METHODS
Anthropometric data were collected from urban minority preschool children (n=161; 42% female) enrolled in USDA Head Start. Blood was collected by finger prick and analyzed with the Cholestech LDX Analyzer (Cholestech Corporation, Hayward, CA). Caregivers provided a self-reported family health history for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).


RESULTS
By BMI percentile, 8% of the children were underweight (UW), 54% healthy weight (HW), 10% overweight (OW), and 28% obese (OB). One of every 5 children had borderline or high-risk levels for total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides based on the National Cholesterol Education Program categories. In OW/OB children only, BMI was positively correlated with TC (r(61)=0.428; p=0.001) and LDL (r(58)=0.395; p=0.005). Child BMI was also associated with family comorbid diseases (r(159)=0.177; p=0.025). UW/HW children with a family history of CVD had significantly higher LDL than UW/HW children without a family history of CVD (p=0.001). Step-wise regression analysis revealed that BMI (p=0.005) plus family history of heart attack (p=0.018) were significant predictors of blood TC levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Continued efforts to treat and prevent elevated weight are urgently needed for minority preschoolers. Attention to CVD screening may be an important target in school, community, and healthcare arenas for minority populations regardless of weight status.
1 Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, Florida International University , Miami, FL.
Kathryn
K
Brogan
Cynthia
C
Danford
Yulyu
Y
Yeh
Kai-Lin Catherine
KL
Jen
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002675:Child, Preschool; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan / Q000208:ethnology; D008913:Minority Groups; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014505:Urban Population
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides