In the NEWS Unit 8

What's Your Pressure?

African Americans have long realized that they have more than twice the chance of developing high blood pressure than Caucasian Americans have. That increased high blood pressure rate leads to an increased stroke rate that is 80% higher than that of the general US population. For years, there has been a great deal of speculation about what causes this difference, but little hard evidence.

Then researches found a link between hypertension and a diet low in dairy products. James Dwyer, an epidemiologist from Los Angeles was excited by the news. "When you ... find an agent that can reduce that problem early in life, it may end up having enormous public health consequences."

Scientists wanted to test the possible connection between dairy products and high blood pressure; over 100 African American high school students in California volunteered to be the "guinea pigs."

For eight weeks, half the students took a calcium tablet, and half took a look-alike tablet that contained no calcium ( a "placebo"). Then for the next eight weeks, the groups switched. Finally, they switched back again. Nurses measured the students' blood pressure every two weeks and kept track of any changes.

Although the increased calcium seemed to have little effect on systolic blood pressure, diastolic pressure dropped an average of 2 mmHg, which is almost the same drop that results from taking blood pressure medication. Students whose normal diets included the least amount of calcium had the greatest improvement in blood pressure level.

The study suggests that a diet rich in calcium can help reduce blood pressure levels in teens, but other possible factors --excess salt in the diet, low levels of potassium, high stress, and obesity-- must also be tested. It may or may not turn out that African American children would benefit from calcium supplements, but it is certainly an exciting possibility that is worth further investigation.

For more information, visit these Web sites:

Calcium for Life
http://www.msu.edu/user/songmooh/hnf.html

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