A. N. Belozersky Research Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology MSU
The age-related changes in anthropometric and cardiovascular parameters have been studied in young persons aged 10-19 years who live in Magadan. The children and adolescents who do not go in for sports show more irregular yearly increments in their height and body weight. Those who go in for sports display lower average heart rate and systolic blood pressure (SBP). Among the young males (aged 16-19 years) who do not go in for sports, 15% had a SBP of 140 mm Hg or higher while only 3% of the athletes had this pressure. It is concluded that going in for sports is an important factor of prevention of early arterial hypertension in young people living in North-Eastern Russia.