Comparison of blood lipids and blood pressure in black and white collegiate male athletes.

Abstract

Blood lipids, lipoproteins, and blood pressure (BP) were examined in 74 black and 93 white male NCAA Division I-A collegiate football athletes. Subjects were involved in resistance training and anaerobic running and all ate at the same training table. All measurements were done in the morning following a 12 hour fast. No significant differences were found in mean systolic (128 mm Hg) or diastolic (77 mm Hg) BPs. Blacks and whites were similar in age, height, weight, V̇O2max estimated from a 12 minute run test, total serum cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). However, the black athletes had significantly (P < 0.01) lower serum triglycerides, total cholesterol to HDL-C ratio, and higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) compared to whites. In a subgroup of 34 subjects, there were no differences in dietary fat, carbohydrate, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, calcium, or fiber intake. These data suggest a race-related difference in some blood lipids-lipoproteins without a concomitant difference in BP within a group of young adult male athletes.