•  
  •  

UKnowledge > College of Public Health > Journal of Appalachian Health > Vol. 7 (2025) > Iss. 4

 

Corresponding Author

Madha Rani Das; mrd00036@mix.wvu.edu

Author Affiliations

  1. Madha Rani Das, BS: Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Animal, Food and Nutrition Sciences, Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, West Virginia University (Morgantown, WV); E-mail: mrd00036@mix.wvu.edu; ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6545-2959
  2. Lee A. Pyles, MD, MS: Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Cardiology, School of Medicine, West Virginia University; ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1113-1092
  3. Eloise Elliott, PhD: Ware Distinguished Professor, College of Applied Human Sciences (CAHS), West Virginia University
  4. Christa L. Lilly, BS, MS, PhD: Professor, Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, West Virginia University; ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0009-0638

Author Area of Expertise

1. MRD: Human Nutrition, Lifestyle Disease, Chronic Disease

2. LP: Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatrics

3. EE: Physical activity and children/families, School-based physical activity/physical education practices and interventions, Population health promotion in communities, Childhood obesity, Development, implementation and evaluation of interventional strategies to change behaviors related to physical activity and healthful living

4. CL: Psychometrics, Structural equation modeling, Applied linear modeling, and Maternal and Child health.

Abstract

Introduction: Childhood obesity and related cardiovascular risks reflect the interplay of genetic predispositions and socioeconomic adversity. Appalachia’s poverty, limited health care, and educational gaps worsen family health risks, driving early cardio-metabolic problems in children, highlighting the need for effective interventions.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the association of family health history and parental education with BMI, BP, and lipid profiles among 5th grade children in West Virginia (WV).

Methods: The study used WV CARDIAC data from 2006–2009. Outcomes were BMI, SBP/DBP, and fasting lipids (HDL, LDL, TG). Predictors were parental education and family health history (heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking). Multiple linear regression was used, adjusting for covariates.

Results: Data from 30,756 fifth-grade children were analyzed. Among participating children, positive family history of smoking, diabetes, and high cholesterol was significantly associated with higher BMI (β = 3.07, 95% CI: 2.15–3.99, p < 0.0001). Paternal education showed a protective effect, with children of college-graduated fathers having lower BMI (β = –3.40, 95% CI: –4.20 to –2.60, p < 0.0001) and lower SBP (β = –0.94, 95% CI: –1.38 to –0.50, p < 0.0001) compared with those whose fathers had only a high school or GED education. Smoking (β = –0.69, 95% CI: –0.94 to –0.43, p < 0.0001) and diabetes (β = –0.48, 95% CI: –0.71 to –0.26, p < 0.0001) exhibited lower HDL levels.

Implications: These findings highlight the effects of familial factors in shaping pediatric cardiovascular risk and emphasize the need for culturally tailored, family-centered interventions to reduce health disparities.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.13023/jah.0704.02

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Das MR, Pyles LA, Elliott E, Lilly CL. Influence of family health history and parental education on body mass index, blood pressure, and lipid levels in 5th grade children: a secondary data analysis of the CARDIAC Project. J Appalach Health 2025; 7(4):19-54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13023/jah.0704.02

Download

Share

COinS