U.S. Department of Health and Human Services NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIH News National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/index.htm EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Monday, November 7, 2005; 12:01 a.m. ET CONTACT: NHLBI Communications Office, 301-496-4236, nhlbi_news@xxxxxxxxxxxxx NHLBI MEDIA AVAILABILITY: METABOLIC SYNDROME IN GIRLS WHAT: New results from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Growth and Health Study demonstrate the development and prevalence of metabolic syndrome among black and white girls, through a 10-year study of over 2,000 girls beginning at age 9. Height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar measures were taken at intervals and applied to the current definition of metabolic syndrome. "Development of the Metabolic Syndrome in Black and White Adolescent Girls: A Longitudinal Assessment," will be published in the November 1 issue of the journal "Pediatrics". WHO: Dr. Eva Obarzanek, an NHLBI research nutritionist, is available to comment on the study's findings that the prevalence of metabolic syndrome increased significantly from only one case among all girls at age 9, to 3 percent of black girls and 2.3 percent of white girls by age 19. Increases in waist circumference were found to be a leading contributor to development of the syndrome. Dr. Obarzanek can also discuss NHLBI's public education efforts to reduce overweight and obesity in childhood. CONTACT: To schedule interviews, contact the NHLBI Communications Office at 301-496-4236. NHLBI is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Federal Government's primary agency for biomedical and behavioral research. NIH is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NHLBI press releases and fact sheets, including information on metabolic syndrome, can be found online at www.nhlbi.nih.gov. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- "The Nation's Medical Research Agency" -- includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov. ## This NIH News Release is available online at: http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/nov2005/nhlbi-07.htm. To subscribe (or unsubscribe) from this list, go to http://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=nihpress&A=1.
