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Parental history of hypertension and dietary intakes in early adolescent offspring: a population-based study

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 28, pages 721–725 (2014)Cite this article

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Abstract

We investigated the cross-sectional association between parental history of hypertension and dietary intakes among early adolescent schoolchildren. A total of 1845 participants aged 12 years had complete data on diet and parental medical history, and thus they were included in the final analyses. Dietary data were assessed from validated semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaires. Parents completed questionnaires about their medical conditions. Cases where the biological mother and/or father had hypertension were classified as positive parental history of hypertension. After multivariable adjustment, participants with positive versus negative parental history of hypertension had 33% greater likelihood of consuming soft drinks ⩾1 per week. Boys with a parental history versus boys without a parental history of hypertension consumed more energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods: 379.4 g per day and 318.0 g per day, respectively, P=0.02. Girls with a positive versus a negative parental history consumed more vegetables: 164.1 versus 142.6 g per day, P=0.01. Significant associations were not observed between those with and those without a positive parental history in mean dietary intakes of carbohydrates, fats, sugars and sodium. Children with a positive parental history of hypertension were 67% more likely to simultaneously engage in three unhealthy lifestyle behaviors (excessive recreational screen viewing, high consumption of snacks and and high consumption of soft drinks). Parental hypertension was associated with unhealthy dietary behaviors among offspring, including higher consumption of soft drinks and energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods.

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Acknowledgements

The Sydney Myopia Study (Sydney Childhood Eye Study) was supported by the Australian National Health & Medical Research Council (Grant No. 253732); the Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney; the Vision Cooperative Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney; and the National Heart Foundation of Australia (Grant No. G11S 6106), Melbourne, Australia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    B Gopinath, E Rochtchina & P Mitchell

  2. Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of Wollongong, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    J C Y Louie & V M Flood

  3. University of Sydney Clinical School, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    L A Baur

  4. School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    L A Baur

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  1. B Gopinath
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  2. J C Y Louie
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  3. V M Flood
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  4. E Rochtchina
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  5. L A Baur
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  6. P Mitchell
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Correspondence to B Gopinath.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Author contributions

Study concept and design: BG; acquisition of data: PM; analysis and interpretation of data: BG, JCYL, VMF, ER, LAB and PM; drafting of the manuscript: BG; critical revision of the manuscript: BG, JCYL, VMF, ER, LAB and PM.

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Gopinath, B., Louie, J., Flood, V. et al. Parental history of hypertension and dietary intakes in early adolescent offspring: a population-based study. J Hum Hypertens 28, 721–725 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2014.12

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