Effect of skinfold levels on lipids and blood pressure in younger and older adults.

As shown in 5507 white participants in a total population sample, the level of fatness is systematically related to lipid levels and to blood pressure levels in older adolescents, younger adults, and older adults of both sexes. At all three age levels, the fatter subjects were highest in serum cholesterol, serum triglycerides, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure and more often hypertensive. The effect of fatness level on the four risk factors was similar for all four skinfolds regardless of location. Fatness level is thus related to lipid levels and blood pressure levels in both younger and older subjects, and there is no evidence that "central" or "peripheral" or upper body and truncal skinfolds are more directly related to these risk factors even after the sixth decade.