Behavioral factors and blood pressure in black college students

The relationship of behavioral factors and resting blood pressure was assessed in a random sample of 192 young middle class black adults. Framingham Type A behavior was positively associated with diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.17, p less than 0.05) among the women. Also, anger-in and trait anxiety were positively correlated with diastolic blood pressure for the women, r = 0.20, p less than 0.05 and r = +0.28 and p less than 0.01, respectively. After control for body mass index, trait anxiety and anger-in remained independent predictors of diastolic blood pressure among the women. For men, marijuana use was positively associated with blood pressure. Marijuana use was an independent predictor for systolic blood pressure after adjusting for body mass index among the males. The present study demonstrated a sex difference related to behavioral factors and blood pressure in young middle class blacks.