title: Factors influencing total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations in a population at high coronary risk.
abstract: Serum total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentrations were measured in 1122 men and 1147 women aged between 25 and 64 years during the first Belfast MONICA survey, and the results subjected to multiple regression analysis. In both men and women, total cholesterol increased with age. Although HDL-cholesterol showed little variation with age, the values were considerably higher in women than men. Total cholesterol increased with body mass index while HDL-cholesterol decreased, and these findings persisted after adjustment for age. Regular exercise was associated with higher HDL-cholesterol values, even after adjustment for age and body mass index. Among men and women who abstained from alcohol, lower values of HDL-cholesterol were observed. In both sexes, cigarette smoking was associated with significant increases in total cholesterol values and decreases in HDL-cholesterol values, though some of these findings became apparent only after adjustment for other relevant factors. Perhaps surprisingly, a measure of health knowledge showed no association with blood lipid concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Belfast MONICA Project, Department of Community Medicine & Medical Statistics, Queen's University of Belfast Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McCrum
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McMaster
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sykes
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D002784:Cholesterol