Table 1.

Mean levels of various characteristics among children and adults

Characteristic	Children		Adults
	Boys	Girls	Men	Women
No. of examinationsa	13,402	12,954	947	1,209
Age, y	11.2±4	11.2±4	36.6±7	36.4±7
% Black	38%	39%	30%	32%
Year of examination	1,981±6	1,981±6	2,001±8	2,001±8
BMI, kg/m2	18.7±4*	19.0±4*	28.9±6	28.8±8
Obeseb	9%	9%	36%	37%
SBP, mm Hg	102±11*	102±11*	120±14*	113±14*
SBP z score	−0.3±0.8	−0.2±0.8	—	—
K4, mm Hg	62±9*	63±9*	—	—
K4 z score	0±0.7*	0.1±0.7*	—	—
K5, mm Hg	47±13*	50±13*	74±11*	70±10*
K5 z score	−1.2±1.0*	−1.1±1.1*	—	—
K4 − K5 difference, mm Hg	14±7*	13±7*	—	—
At least one K5 of 0mm Hgc	8.7%*	6.2%*	—	—

With the exception of the sample size, values are mean ± SD or percentages.

Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; K4, fourth Korotoff phase; K5, fifth Korotoff phase; SBP, systolic blood pressure.

^aChildhood estimates are based on levels recorded from the 26,356 examinations (representing data from 11,525 subjects). Adult estimates are based on 2,156 examinations; each adult was examined only once.

^bBased on a BMI ≥95th percentile of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reference population or a BMI ≥30kg/m².

^cTwo observers each recorded 3 measurements for each child.

*P < 0.01 for sex difference among children or adults. Analyses of sex differences among children accounted for the within-child clustering of levels of BMI and blood pressure using the Huber–White method ²³ and multilevel models. ³⁷