PEDIATRICS Vol. 78 No. 2 August 1986, pp. 364-368
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The Child Is Father of the Man

CHARLES J. GLUECK MD1

1 Lipid Research, General Clinical Research, and General Clinical Research-CLINFO Centers, Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati

Wordsworth was both metaphorically and literally1 accurate in concluding that ". . .the child is father of the man."2 The anatomic,3-5 biochemical, epidemiologic, nutritional, genetic, and clinical genesis of atherosclerosis is in childhood.1,6-13 There is also compelling evidence that relates antemortem coronary heart disease risk factors to the development of early atherosclerotic lesions,5 evidence that should stimulate pediatric primary prevention of atherosclerosis.

By virtue of extensive studies of schoolchildren,11,14-18 and of national population groups (Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey),19 excellent age-, sex-, and race-specific distributional data are available for major coronary heart disease risk factors including total, high-, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, LDL-C), height, weight, Quetelet index, skinfolds, BP, nutrient intake, and cigarette smoking.