Blood pressure and body mass index in Ethiopian immigrants: comparison of operations Solomon and Moses.

Blood pressure, height and weight of 122 male and 143 female Ethiopian Jews who immigrated to Israel in Operation Solomon (1991) were measured and compared with those of Ethiopian immigrants who arrived in Israel in 1984-85 (Operation Moses). Although the body mass indices of the Operation Solomon immigrants were much higher than those of Operation Moses, no significant differences were found in blood pressure measurements in any age-group or in either sex. Blood pressure in Operation Solomon immigrants increased with age and correlated with body mass index and triglyceride serum levels among males, but not females. No correlation was found between cholesterol levels and blood pressure measurements.