NHLBI GROWTH AND HEALTH STUDY EXTENSION

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The objective of this longitudinal study is to follow a cohort of 2379 black and white girls, age 9 and 10 years, and their parents, through pubescence to: (a) investigate whether, and to what extent, the race difference in the development of obesity in adolescent females can be explained by differences in dietary habits, patterns of physical activity, socioeconomic status, psychosocial factors, age and sexual maturation; and (b) determine whether, and to what degree, differences in the development of obesity are associated with differences in other coronary vascular disease risk factors, such as blood pressure, blood lipids/lipoproteins and apolipoproteins. The study has been conducted for 5 years and it is proposed to extend the follow-up by five more years to fully explicate the racial divergence in obesity during puberty and its effect on the major CVD risk factors. Specifically, the study aims to assess: (1) anthropometric parameters reflecting obesity and distribution of body fat; (2) changes in dietary intake and physical activity; (3) psychosocial measures of self- esteem, stress and health perceptions; (4) blood pressure, lipid profiles, and fasting glucose and insulin; (5) relevant health indicators associated with adolescence and familial influences on all these parameters. The strength of the study in retaining about 90% of the cohort will undoubtedly contribute to its continued success in meeting its overall objectives and specific aims. The experience gained in the past five years in developing and implementing a detailed protocol and training a cadre of qualified examiners and interviewers will ensure the high quality of the data. The study itself will yield important scientific information to help elucidate the underlying mechanism of the higher incidence of obesity and hypertension in black adolescent girls, help identify the factors associated with the higher CVD mortality in black women and lead to effective interventions.