title: Total blood cholesterol in a volunteer population.
abstract: An analysis of the total blood cholesterol values obtained in a self selected sample of the Wakatipu basin community is presented. From this analysis it can be drawn that blood cholesterol level varies with age and weight but not with sex and smoking status. The overall mean of the sample was 5.54 mmol/L, with volunteers over age 50 having a mean of 6.44 mmol/L, those aged 25-50 having a mean of 5.37 mmol/L, and those below age 25 having a mean of 4.78 mmol/L. Obese volunteers had an average total blood cholesterol of 6.22 mmol/L, while volunteers of normal weight had an average value of 5.38 mmol/L. This analysis forms the basis of a discussion which emphasises the difficulties in interpreting and thus manipulating an individual's blood cholesterol.
authors.affiliation: Queenstown Medical Centre.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Simmers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001835:Body Weight; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol