title: Determinants of inter-individual cholesterol level variation in an unbiased young male sample.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Affected by individual life style, the total cholesterol serum level is a major morbidity and mortality risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD). We present total cholesterol values and their possible aetiological factors of young Swiss conscripts. Particularly, we study varying impact of these factors depending on different levels of individual cholesterol.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male conscripts (n = 19,272) of the 2005 census of the conscripts have been examined, reflecting ca. 59% of a total Swiss male birth cohort. Quantile regression allows us to analyse responses of arbitrary quantiles with respect to variables of interest.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven percent of all conscripts show clinically important increased total cholesterol levels. There is a major association of high individual cholesterol level with French regional language. The largest socio-economic subsample--agricultural and construction workers--show significantly higher individual cholesterol levels than employees in the industry sector and students, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We were able to find that culture, as indicated by the mother tongue, and socioeconomic status as indicated by profession/vocation, influence individual total cholesterol levels while climate as indicated by altitude does not have an influence on cholesterol levels. Such a broad screening programme offers a unique opportunity to target persons at high-risk for CVD morbidity and mortality already early in life.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. frank.ruhli@anatom.uzh.ch
authors.forename: Frank Jakobus
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Rühli
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Henneberg
authors.forename: Dominik J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schaer
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Imhof
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schleiffenbaum
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Woitek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood*; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D019303:Multilingualism; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013557:Switzerland
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol