Table 3.

Prevalence of blood pressure (adjusted for age) categories by birth band

Blood pressure group	Prevalence (%) in each five year birth band
	1925-9	1930-4	1935-9	1940-4	1945-50	Total
Male students:
Optimal	17.4	12.3	14.7	20.7	21.6	17.0
Normal	30.3	25.0	27.3	28.2	35.2	28.9
High normal	31.5	31.6	29.7	25.5	24.4	28.7
Hypertension (stage 1)	18.0	27.8	25.0	21.6	16.5	22.3
Hypertension (stage 2)	2.4	2.9	3.1	3.5	2.1	2.8
Hypertension (stage 3)	0.4	0.3	0.1	0.4	0.2	0.3
All	100	100	100	100	100	100
	Test for trend: P<0.001
Female students:
Optimal	17.0	22.7	35.8	38.9	38.6	32.0
Normal	33.9	30.4	35.0	37.2	38.6	35.1
High normal	28.7	23.8	20.4	16.0	15.6	19.9
Hypertension (stage 1)	19.4	21.0	8.3	7.4	7.1	12.1
Hypertension (stage 2)	1.0	2.1	0.5	0.5	0.2	0.9
Hypertension (stage 3)	0	0	0	0	0	0
All	100	100	100	100	100	100
	Test for trend: P<0.001