[Cardiovascular risk factors in Chilean university students].
OBJECTIVE
To study the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in asymptomatic university students of both sexes, aged 18 to 25 years.


METHODS
Serum lipid levels were measured in a subsample of 293 subjects, using a Hitachi 717 chemical analyzer. Obesity was classified using body mass index (BMI) measurements. A self-applied questionnaire was used to collect data on sedentary life style, family history of cardiovascular disease and cigarette smoking. Statistical associations of lipid levels with lipidic and non-lipidic risk factors were assessed using Pearson's chi-square test and multiple regression.


RESULTS
We found lipid risk levels in 29.2% for total cholesterol (CT), 16.2% for low-density lipoproteins (C-LDL) and 5% for high-density lipoproteins (C-HDL). The main non-lipidic factors were smoking (46.1%) and sedentarism (60.8%). Obesity, hypertension and parental history of myocardial infarction were present in 1.9%, 4.6% and 11%, respectively. We observed an association of a lipid risk profile with obesity, cigarette smoking and family history.


CONCLUSIONS
The results show that sedentarism and smoking are associated with a lipid risk profile. These results call for the need to develop appropriate behavior strategies for the successful prevention of cardiovascular disease.
Chiang-Salgado
M T
MT
Departamento de Fisiopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Chile. mchiang@udec.cl
Casanueva-Escobar
V
V
Cid-Cea
X
X
González-Rubilar
U
U
Olate-Mellado
P
P
Nickel-Paredes
F
F
Revello-Chiang
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011322:Primary Prevention; D011897:Random Allocation; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities