title: Study of cardiovascular disease risk factors among rural schoolchildren in Sousse, Tunisia.
abstract: We undertook an epidemiological survey based on a representative sample of 793 rural schoolchildren in Sousse, Tunisia to assess the prevalence of certain cardiovascular disease risk factors. The prevalence of hypertension (11.2%), hypercholesterolaemia (2.9%), hypertriglyceridaemia (1.0%), high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (0.6%) and obesity (4.0%) showed no statistically significant difference based on sex. However, smoking (4%) showed a significant gender difference (boys: 7.3%; girls 1.2%). The relatively low cardiovascular disease risk factor profile of Tunisian children needs to be encouraged through to adulthood. Thus a school programme of heart health promotion should be established.
authors.affiliation: Service of Epidemiology, University Hospital F Hached, Sousse, Tunisia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ghannem
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trabelsi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gaha
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Harrabi
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Essoussi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012572:School Health Services; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology