Risks for Hypertension Among Undiagnosed African American Mothers and Daughters

Introduction: This study examines risks for high blood pressure (BP) among undiagnosed African American mothers and daughters, because African American children are at risk for hypertension due to familial influences. Method: This study was cross-sectional in design and included 70 African American mother and daughter participants from the Detroit metropolitan area. Results: BP readings clinically diagnostic of hypertension were found for mothers (25.7%) and daughters (54.3%), although they were undiagnosed. Many participants with BP readings in pre-hypertension or hypertension categories were overweight or obese (mothers, 90.9%; daughters, 50.2%). Fewer underweight or normal-weight mothers (25.0%) and daughters (64.3%) had BP readings indicative of hypertension. Lower diastolic BP was associated with higher body mass index (BMI) among mothers (r = -.34, P = .045). Higher systolic BP was positively related to potassium consumption among daughters and total African Americans (r = .55, P = .005 and r = .41, P = .003, respectively).