[Familial distribution of cholesterolemia, arterial blood pressure and relative weight]

The "Sion" study, a part of the Swiss National Research Program on Cardiovascular diseases, investigated the relationships between parents' and children's cholesterolemia, blood pressure and relative weight. After a health control at school 101 fathers and 108 mothers of ten year old children have been examined. The representativeness of these parents was studied using twice as many adults of the same age from Nyon and from Aarau. Direct significant statistical associations are then demonstrated between fathers' and children's blood pressure, cholesterolemia and relative weight. Analogous associations were found out for the last two variables only between mothers and children. Available data suggest that environmental determinants of risk factor exposure are more likely to explain these relationships. It then appears that the family represents a proper setting for primary prevention.