Blood Pressure and Skin Color: Maupiti, French Polynesia

Document Type

Article

Authors

Ernest Harburg, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Lillian Gleibermann, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
John Harburg, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Abstract

Blood pressure levels and the correlates of age, height, weight, skin color and smoking were studied in a sample of 230 adult and adolescent residents on the island of Maupiti in French Polynesia (1973). Blood pressures were found to increase with age and to be positively related to weight in both male and female adults. For females, height and skin color were negatively related to blood pres­sure, and smoking was positively related to blood pressure; no relationship for these correlates and blood pressure was found in males. Essential hypertension was present in 10% of males and 12% of females. Adult females had lighter skin color than adult males.For adolescents, age, height and weight were significantly related to systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Skin color was positively, although not significantly related to diastolic blood pressure in young males; there was a tendency towards a negative relationship between skin color and diastolic blood pressure in young females as in adults.

Recommended Citation

Harburg, Ernest; Gleibermann, Lillian; and Harburg, John (1982) "Blood Pressure and Skin Color: Maupiti, French Polynesia," Human Biology: Vol. 54: Iss. 2, Article 11.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/humbiol/vol54/iss2/11