Karen L. Woodall

Cardiovascular reactivity to stress predicts future blood pressure status.

Cardiovascular reactivity to stress may have a pathophysiological role in neurogenic hypertension. We studied the value of measuring blood pressure change during standardized mental and physical challenges to prediction of resting blood pressure status 6.5 years later among 206 middle-aged adults and their 164 children, with the latter group originally being tested while enrolled in elementary through high school. After adjustment for age, resting blood pressure, and body mass index at study entry, as well as length of follow-up, larger systolic and diastolic blood pressure responses to a combination of mental and physical challenges were associated with higher subsequent resting diastolic blood pressure 6.5 years later among adults. Among boys, but not among girls, larger systolic and diastolic blood pressure responses to challenge were associated with higher subsequent resting blood pressure. These data suggest that people who are at high risk for elevated blood pressure might have an exaggerated stress-induced cardiovascular response at a younger age.

Effects of family-based behavioral treatment on obese 5-to-8-year-old children

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of family-based treatment for childhood obesity for 5-to-8-year-old children. Nineteen obese 5-to 8-year-old girls were randomly assigned to one of two treatments: a behaviorally oriented program which emphasized parent management, and a control group which provided equal education and attention, but not behavioral principles. The treatment group showed better weight loss and relative weight changes than the control group at the 8 and 12 month observations. These results show that the family-based treatment developed for 8-to-12-year-olds can be generalized to 5-to-8-year-old children.

The modification of activity patterns and energy expenditure in obese young girls

The effects of reinforcing active play on activity and energy expenditure were evaluated in obese 5- to 8-year-old girls during a morning summer camp. After 4 days of baseline assessing free play activity, the treatment group was alternately reinforced for increasing activity or sharing; the control group remained in baseline. Behavioral observations of activity showed clear effects of the sequential treatment phases. In addition, caloric expenditure was reliably increased by the treatment procedures both during and after the enhanced activity.