Wong ND; Bassin SL; Deitrick R.
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Relationship
of blood lipids to anthropometric measures and family medical history
in an ethnically diverse school-aged population
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Ethnicity and Disease, 1991 Fall, 1(4):351-63. (UI: 93091782)
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High total cholesterol is an important risk factor for coronary heart
disease, and high levels in adulthood can be linked to high levels in
childhood. We evaluated total cholesterol and lipoprotein levels and
their relationship to body composition and reported family medical
history of premature myocardial infarction or high total cholesterol in
800 children, aged 10 to 13, of Hispanic (n = 612), Asian (n = 100),
and white or other (n = 88) ethnic descent. |
Mean total cholesterol levels
were similar among boys (168.6 mg/dL; n = 399) and girls (167.5 mg/dL;
n = 401) and among ethnic groups; however, high-density lipoprotein
cholesterol was highest in boys and in Asian children. Forty-six
percent of all children tested had total cholesterol levels of 170
mg/dL or greater (13.4% were 200 mg/dL or higher). Body mass index and
skinfold (triceps and subscapular) measurements were least in Asian
children. A high prevalence of obesity was noted in white and Hispanic
children. Body mass index was positively correlated with total
cholesterol in Hispanic children; in all ethnic groups, body mass index
was positively associated with triglyceride levels and negatively
associated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Skinfold
measurements were also significantly correlated with total cholesterol
(in Hispanic children) and triglycerides and were negatively associated
with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Among children with family
history data available, only 52% with a low-density lipoprotein
cholesterol level of 130 mg/dL or higher had a reported family history
of high total cholesterol or myocardial infarction in a parent or
grandparent aged 55 or younger, although rates varied substantially by
ethnic group. |
The present study demonstrates
the importance of population-based lipid screening in Hispanic, Asian,
or multiethnic children, where more than a third of the children have
total cholesterol levels in need of dietary management. The majority of
children with elevated total or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
levels will not be identified if screening is recommended on the basis
of a positive family history alone. Finally, there is evidence that
body composition in children may be more closely correlated with total
cholesterol or lipoprotein levels in certain ethnic groups. |