Preliminary clinical and anthropometric findings from the first Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, USA, 1971-1972.

Eight percent of Negroes between the ages of 45 to 59 had hepatomegaly. Tongue signs and absent knee and ankle jerks were more prevalent in Negroes ages 45 to 74; they also had lower urinary excretion of thiamine and riboflavin than Whites. Bowed legs and knock knees were more frequent in Negroes ages 1 to 17 and Negro women 18 to 44. Prevalence of bleeding, swollen gums was highest in Negroes ages 45 to 59. Both grade I and II goiter were more prevalent in Negroes at all ages except men 18 to 59. Chvostek's sign indicating possible calcium deficiency was more frequent in Negroes at all ages with two exceptions. Major anthropometric findings will also be presented.

Comparison of selected blood components by race, sex, and age.

The effects of race, age, and sex on selected blood components for 429 black and white adults over 34 year in southwest Mississippi were studied. Fasting blood was collected early in the morning. Whole blood was used for the determination of hematocrit and hemoglobin. The sera were used for the analysis of iron, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, vitamin C, alkaline phosphatase, and protein and its fractions such as albumin, alpha-, beta-, and gamma-globulins. The data of whites versus blacks, males versus females, and those under versus over 60 years were compared. A significant racial difference was observed for all selected blood components except alpha-1-globulin, cholesterol, and alkaline phosphatase. Albumin, alpha-2-globulin, hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum iron, triglycerides, and vitamin C were significantly higher in whites than in blacks and total protein, beta-1- and gamma-globulins and glucose were significantly higher in blacks than in whites. Males had higher levels of alpha-1- and gamma-globulins, hemoglobin, and hematocrit, and females had higher levels of cholesterol and alkaline phosphatase. Those 60 years and over had higher gamma-globulin and alkaline phosphatase, while adults under 60 years had higher hematocrit. Although results of this study showed significant differences between the races for certain blood parameters and suggest that these differences should be considered in determining guidelines for nutritional evaluation and criteria of diagnosing diseases, further studies are needed to determine the contributions of environment, economic status, and nutritional status to these differences.

Epidemiology of factors related to self-reported diabetes among adults.

Analyzing data from some 8,000 adults in the United States reveals that adult diabetes is highly associated with age but not with sex. Older adults are more likely to have diabetes than younger adults. For younger adults diabetes is associated with body mass and blood pressure but not with physical activity level. Those who are above the median in body mass or who are hypertensive have higher risks of being afflicted with diabetes than those who are below the median in body mass or who are normotensive. For older adults diabetes is not associated with blood pressure but is highly associated with physical activity level and a measure of body mass based on maximum reported weight. Those who are lighter or who are physically active are much less likely to be diabetic than those who are heavier or who are physically inactive. We further found that for these adults the association between physical activity level and diabetes is independent of body mass. The epidemiological evidence strongly supports the conventional wisdom of dealing with diabetes by reducing body weight, lowering blood pressure, and particularly for older adults, engaging in some kind of regular physical activity.

Nutritional status of the elderly in the United States of America, 1971-1974.

In the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I) there were 3,479 persons aged 65-74 years corresponding to 12,773,000 in this age group in the total population. Presented here are major findings on the nutritional status of this age group in respect to 1) dietary intake (based on a 24-hour recall) and dietary frequency, 2) selected biochemical and hematological tests, 3) prevalences of clinical signs associated with deficiencies of nine essential nutrients, and 4) selected anthropometric measurements. These findings will be presented by sex, two racial groups (black and white), and two income groups (poverty index ratio (PIR) below and above unity). Some correlations between clinical signs and dietary intake comparing persons with signs and those without signs are shown. Some trends between dietary intake and biochemical values, on the one hand, and biochemical values and clinical signs, on the other hand, will be touched upon. The findings are discussed in relation to dietary adequacy and nutritional risk of the different subgroups. Some paradoxical results are discussed and the need for urgent research on the so-called secondary or conditioned deficiencies specifically in this age group are pointed out.

Major nutritional findings from the First Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the United States of America, 1971-1974.

Some of the major findings from the First Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the United States were presented related to the Nutritional Status of the American people. These findings cover a range from possible deficiencies to possible escesses. Among the deficiencies, iron is the most frequent, affecting particularly young children and women of childbearing age as reflected by relatively low intakes and relatively high prevalences of low hemoglobin values and percent transferrin saturations. Mean hemoglobin values of blacks were significantly lower than those of whites in spite of higher iron intakes in many black females. Low mean intakes of calcium in black women were found associated with higher prevalences of Chvostek's sign, and low mean vitamin A intakes in younger black men and women of all ages were associated with follicular hyperkeratosis. On the excess side of the range were total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol intakes which are among the highest known. These high intakes are associated with relatively high serum cholesterol levels and a high frequency of obesity. Obesity in white women aged 20-45 years was associated with a lower reported caloric intake and a lower exercise score.

Serum magnesium in women during pregnancy, while taking contraceptives, and after menopause.

Mean serum magnesium values with one standard deviation are presented for 224 women during pregnancy and 1559 women taking birth control pills, with 4145 women, aged 15-49 years, as controls. In addition, similar data are presented for 2,884 women, aged 50-74 years, after menopause. All these women were surveyed in the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the United States of America, 1971-1974 (NHANES I). Information on use of birth control pills is based on two questions taken from the NHANES I medical history interview. Pregnant women had significantly lower serum magnesium values than controls (nonpregnant and no birth control pills), regardless of age or race. Women on the pill also showed significantly lower serum magnesium values than other nonpregnant women of similar age, but the differences were much smaller than those between pregnant women and controls. Women older than 50 years (postmenopausal women) had significantly higher serum magnesium values than premenopausal women. These findings are compared with similar findings from other studies in the United States and other parts of the world.

Serum magnesium levels in the United States, 1971-1974.

Serum magnesium has been determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in a national sample of the United States population between 1971 and 1974. Mean values and percentile distributions are presented for ages 1-74 in males and females in two racial groups. Mean values decreased in both sexes from age 1 to ages 12-24. In females, they increased again after age 25, while males showed little change after age 17. Small sex differences were observed between ages 18 and 45, with men having higher levels than women. Both white males and females had higher serum levels than black males and females of the same age. These differences were statistically significant in many age groups, particularly in young and middle-aged adults. These data are unique inasmuch as they represent the only broad population measurements of serum magnesium in the United States. No comparable data exist as far as is known. The values shown can be considered as normative for the U.S. population. A review of the literature with comparable data was done and results are included; a discussion of the findings from these studies is presented.