Growth in childhood and blood pressure in Finnish children.

The aims of this prospective cohort study were to monitor childhood blood pressure (BP) and cholesterol and link them to fetal and childhood growth. Of the 215 children recruited after delivery in a rural county of eastern Finland during 1981 and 1982, 180 (83.7%) stayed in the study until the age of seven. The measurements assessed were BP, serum cholesterol and anthropometry. Of the children originally in the highest BP quartile at the age of 6 months, 58% (systolic BP (SBP)) and 68% (diastolic BP (DBP)), respectively, remained in the same quartile until the age of 7 years; 53% (SBP) and 60% (DBP), respectively, remained in the same lowest quartile. Consequently, BP at 6 months correlated strongly with SBP (r=0.69, P < 0.001) and DBP (r=0.75, P < 0.001) at 7 years of age. Birth weight, ponderal index, placental weight and placental to birth weight ratio were not related to BP level during the follow-up. Weight at 1 year of age correlated positively with SBP (r=0.18-0.25, P=0.0008-0.0215) but not with DBP during the follow-up. Weight gain during the first year of life was directly related to subsequent SBP (r=0.11-0.22, P=0.005-0.16). There was an inverse relationship between serum cholesterol at 7 years of age and placental weight (r=-0.16, P=0.048) and placental to birth weight ratio (r=-0.16, P=0.045). The BP level is already determined at 1 year of age and a higher SBP is associated with a higher growth rate during the first year of life.

A double-blind evaluation of guar gum in patients with dyslipidaemia.

In a double-blind crossover study the effect of ingested guar gum granules, 15 g/d for 3 months, on blood lipids was evaluated in twelve obese hypercholesterolaemic patients. Serum total cholesterol decreased during the guar gum period in eight of the ten patients who completed the study. The mean serum cholesterol was 8.5 +/- 0.4 mmol/l after the guar gum period as compared to 8.9 +/- 0.3 mmol/l after the placebo period. The mean HDL-cholesterol or body weight showed no significant changes during either treatment period. Guar gum administration did not cause any significant changes in 24-h urinary excretion of sodium, potassium, calcium or magnesium. It is concluded that the administration of guar gum granules seems to reduce serum total cholesterol in hypercholesterolaemic patients without exerting an effect on HDL-cholesterol. The beneficial effect of guar gum is independent of the changes in body weight.

Effect of guar gum on body weight and serum lipids in hypercholesterolemic females.

The effect of guar gum (15 g/day) on serum lipids and body weight of middle-aged hypercholesterolemic females was studied in a double-blind controlled trial. No consistent changes were observed in serum cholesterol, triglycerides or HDL cholesterol in patients taking guar gum, placebo or no medication at all. A highly significant decrease in body weight (62.9 +/- 2.1 vs. 60.4 +/- 2.2 kg, p < 0.0005, paired comparison) was seen in subjects receiving guar gum, whereas body weight remained constant in the other two groups. It is concluded that the daily ingestion of 15 g of guar gum results in a permanent weight loss, but does not influence serum lipids in females with hypercholesterolemia.