title: Cardiovascular risk factors in a sample of a rural Belgian population: the Bellux MONICA Study.
abstract: A sample of 1949 subjects of the population of the Belgian province of Luxembourg was screened for levels of cardiovascular risk factors. Cigarette smoking was more prevalent among males (51%) than among females (17%). The relationship between smoking and socio-economic status was inverse in males (M) and direct in females (F). Blood pressure (BP) measurements showed definite high BP in 10% of this sample, and 60% of those with definite high BP were not taking any hypertensive drugs. The average total cholesterol value was 6.49 mmol/L in M and 6.45 mmol/L in F. F had lower values than M at a younger age, but higher values than M at an older age. The high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was higher in F (1.57 mmol/L) than in M (1.27 mmol/L). Diabetes was present in 4.2% of this sample. In nearly half of these participants, the disease had been discovered during the screening. Obesity was especially frequently among F in all three age groups. In conclusion, the main cardiovascular risk factors were found to be at a fairly high level in this population sample.
authors.affiliation: Association Interuniversitaire pour la Prévention des Maladies Cardio-Vasculaires, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brohet
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hannut
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kulbertus
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lavenne
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lefebvre
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rorive
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Jeanjean
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol