PREVIEW
African Americans have a higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke, and renal disease than white Americans. The high rates of diabetes and hypertension in children and of type 2 diabetes, stroke, and CVD in women are particularly striking. In this article, Drs Sowers, Ferdinand, Bakris, and Douglas examine the biologic, social, and genetic factors that contribute to these health disparities, the risk for which appears in early childhood.