Tracking of Serum Lipid Levels, Blood Pressure, and Body Mass Index from Childhood to Adulthood: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

• Published in: The Journal of pediatrics Vol. 159; no. 4; pp. 584 - 590
• Main Authors: Juhola, Jonna, Magnussen, Costan G., Viikari, Jorma S.A., Kähönen, Mika, Hutri-Kähönen, Nina, Jula, Antti, Lehtimäki, Terho, Åkerblom, Hans K., Pietikäinen, Matti, Laitinen, Tomi, Jokinen, Eero, Taittonen, Leena, Raitakari, Olli T., Juonala, Markus
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Maryland Heights, MO Mosby, Inc 01.10.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; adulthood; adults; Age Factors; Biological and medical sciences; blood; blood lipids; Blood Pressure; Body Mass Index; Cardiology. Vascular system; Child; Child, Preschool; childhood; children; cholesterol; Coronary heart disease; correlation; Dyslipidemias; Dyslipidemias - epidemiology; education programs; epidemiology; Female; Finland; Finland - epidemiology; General aspects; Heart; Humans; hypertension; Hypertension - epidemiology; Lipids; Lipids - blood; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; National Cholesterol Education Program; obesity; Obesity - epidemiology; Overweight; Overweight - epidemiology; Pediatrics; Predictive Value of Tests; risk; Risk Factors; risk profile; Sensitivity and Specificity; triacylglycerols; Young Adult; Europe; Finland; SBP; NCEP; LDL-C; TC; CVD; HDL-C; USPSTF; DBP; TG; NPV; PPV; IOTF; BMI; Cardiovascular disease; Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; Body mass index; Total cholesterol; National Cholesterol Education Program; Systolic blood pressure; Diastolic blood pressure; International Obesity Task Force; Negative predictive value; Triglycerides; High-density lipoprotein cholesterol; Positive predictive value; US Preventive Service Task Force; Human; Pediatrics; Lipids; Coronary heart disease; Lipemia; Clinical biology; Risk factor; Cardiovascular risk; Adult; Evolution; Arterial pressure; Serum; Blood pressure; Hemodynamics; Child; Age
• ISSN: 0022-3476; 1097-6833; 1097-6833
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2011.03.021

To examine tracking and predictiveness of childhood lipid levels, blood pressure, and body mass index for risk profile in adulthood and the best age to measure the childhood risk factor levels. Study subjects were participants of the longitudinal Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, started in 1980 (age 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 years). A total of 2204 subjects participated to the 27-year follow-up in 2007 (age, 30 to 45 years). In both sex groups and in all age groups, childhood risk factors were significantly correlated with levels in adulthood. The correlation coefficients for cholesterol levels and body mass index were 0.43 to 0.56 ( P < .0001), and for blood pressure and triglyceride levels, they were 0.21 to 0.32 ( P < .0001). To recognize children with abnormal adult levels, the National Cholesterol Education Program and the National High Blood Pressure Education Program cutoff points for lipid and blood pressure values and international cutoff points for overweight and obesity were used. Age seemed to affect associations. The best sensitivity and specificity rates were observed in 12- to 18-year-old subjects. Childhood blood pressure, serum lipid levels, and body mass index correlate strongly with values measured in middle age. These associations seemed to be stronger with increased age at measurements.