title: Cardiovascular risk factors and mortality in women.
abstract: Men and women are subject to similar environmental influences but women have a markedly longer life expectancy, the difference in which is still increasing. In general, the level of saturated fat intake appears the most important determinant of life expectancy and it seems likely that this factor is even responsible for regional differences within a given country. In both men and women in Western populations, serum cholesterol levels are much higher than in Oriental populations. Women have higher total serum cholesterol than men in the age groups below 20 and over 50 years and this discrepancy may play a crucial role in the development of arteriosclerosis. Women also have markedly higher HDL-cholesterol levels than men in Western countries. Other important factors possibly accounting for the difference in life expectancy are the facts that in women less than 50 years of age, blood pressure is lower than in men and in women, smoking is much less prevalent. Overall, however, serum lipid levels and intake of saturated fat have a lesser influence on mortality in women than in men and, accordingly, they are lower predictors of mortality.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol