Table 1.

Mean Levels of Various Characteristics Among 2617 Participants Examined During Childhood and Reexamined as Adults

Race (% black)32
Sex (% females)57
Year of examination1975 ± 3* 1992 ± 4
Age (y) 10 ± 3 27 ± 5
BMI (kg/m2) 17.8 ± 3.5 26.2 ± 6.3
Childhood BMI percentile 50 (9.92)
Overweight (%) 7 48
Subscapular skinfold thickness (mm) 21 ± 12
Triceps skinfold thickness (mm) 13 ± 620 ± 11
Total cholesterol (mg/dL) 163 ± 29183 ± 38
Triglycerides (mg/dL) 68(63) ± 34109(92) ± 94
LDL cholesterol (mg/dL) 90 ± 24117 ± 33
HDL cholesterol (mg/dL) 65 ± 2150 ± 15
Insulin (mU/L) 12(10) ± 9
Diabetes mellitus 0.8%§
Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) 100 ± 10 111 ± 11
Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg) 62 ± 8 72 ± 9
• * The mean follow-up period was 17 ± 4 years (range: 5–24 years). Values are mean ± standard deviation with the exception of percentages. For BMI percentile, the median (10th percentile, 90th percentile) is shown. For triglycerides and insulin, geometric mean levels are shown in parentheses.

• Among children, overweight was defined as BMI ≥95th percentile; adults with a BMI ≥25 kg/m2 were considered overweight. Twenty-two percent of adults were considered obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2).

• The subscapular skinfold thickness and insulin level were not measured at the initial (1973–1974) examination of children.

• § Determined by self-report. Levels of lipids, insulin, and blood pressure among the 22 diabetics were not included in the analyses.