Longitudinal Study of Familism, Inflammation, and Metabolic Syndrome in Black Adolescents from Lower Income Households

OBJECTIVE: This study examined longitudinal associations between familism (valuing the family unit more than the individual, feelings of obligation and responsibility toward the family), inflammation, and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a sample of Black adolescents from lower-income households. METHODS: 400 Black adolescents (ages 14-19) were recruited into this study. Adolescents and one parent independently completed a questionnaire measure of familism (expectations about the obligations adolescent have to the family) at baseline. As well, in adolescents, assessments of 6 markers of low-grade inflammation and MetS (counts of the number of MetS components above clinical cutoffs; composite z-scores of each MetS component) were taken at baseline. One year later, inflammation was re-assessed. Two years later, MetS was re-assessed. Discrepancies in familism (directional difference between parent and adolescent reports of familism; absolute difference between parent and adolescent familism scores) were calculated. RESULTS: Adolescents who held higher familism beliefs than their parents had higher levels of low-grade inflammation one year later, b=.032, se=.016, P<.05, which in turn predicted higher levels of MetS two years later (count: b=.537, se=.077, P<.001; composite: b=.294, se=.051, P<.001). The indirect effects were significant (for prospective associations, count: coefficient=0.016, 95%CI [0.002, 0.034]; composite: coefficient=0.009, 95%CI [0.001, 0.020]). No associations were found with absolute difference familism scores. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the importance of understanding family values from multiple perspectives (e.g., parent, adolescent). Adolescents' perceptions about their families, particularly in relation to how their parent perceives the family, may have implications for the development of cardiovascular risk in young people over time.