Present status of serum lipid levels in Beijing professional populations and its trend of changes over 15 years--a collaborative study of seven research and clinical laboratories in Beijing.
BACKGROUND
China's economy has been growing rapidly since 1980, which may have affected blood lipid levels. We carried out a study on serum lipid levels and prevalence of lipid abnormalities in Beijing professional populations in 2001-2002 and assessed the changing trends of lipid levels by comparing the results with that of a similar study in 1984-1986.


METHODS
The study population included 31,068 government employees, medical and educational workers and scientific research personnel (male/female 6:4). All participants had physical examination and blood chemistry tests. Lipid parameters analyzed included total cholesterol, low- and high-density lipoprotein (LDL and HDL) cholesterol and triglyceride.


RESULTS
Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations increased significantly as compared with the 1984-1986 study, but the variations of lipid levels with age and sex remained unchanged. Age-adjusted prevalence of dyslipidemia and its distribution in different sexes and age groups were statistically analyzed. Comparing the results with the data of the US in the 1990s, total cholesterol concentration was lower by 16 mg/dl in men and 18 mg/dl in women, whereas LDL cholesterol concentration was lower by 20 mg/dl in men and 15 mg/dl in women. HDL cholesterol was significantly higher than the US in both genders.


CONCLUSIONS
The mean levels of total cholesterol (LDL cholesterol ) increased rapidly in the 1980s, stabilized and descended slightly in 1990s. Coronary lipid risk level in Beijing professional populations is significantly lower than in the US.
Li
Jian-Zhai
JZ
Lipid Research Laboratory, Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Beijing Hospital, Beijing 100730, PR China.
Wang
Shu
S
Dong
Jun
J
Zhu
Li-Hua
LH
Li
Yi-Long
YL
Gao
De-Lu
DL
Tian
Ya-Ping
YP
Dong
Lei
L
Yang
Li
L
Li
Shu-Kui
SK
D000288:Administrative Personnel; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood; D007753:Laboratories / Q000639:trends; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012108:Research Personnel; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*; D000078329:Workforce
D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol