Establishing reference total serum cholesterol values for Saudi children.
Total serum cholesterol was measured in 1320 normal Saudi children aged 0-14 years. The result was 3.88 (0.83) mmol/L [mean (SD)] and there was no statistical difference between girls and boys. Results were lowest in the 0-4 year age group and highest in the 5-9 year age group. Percentile values were established for three age groups and compared with those published for American children; no statistical differences were observed. Unlike other developing countries Saudi children do not have lower serum cholesterol than their western counterparts. We believe that these findings reflect changing dietary habits and increasing affluence in Saudi Arabia.
King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Z S
ZS
Rafii
A A
AA
al Nasser
A
A
Budair
M
M
Tufail
D000293:Adolescent; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States
D002784:Cholesterol