Lipid profiles of apparently healthy adolescents in Calabar, Nigeria.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the lipid profiles of adolescents in Calabar, Nigeria.


METHODS
A cross sectional prospective study.


METHODS
The study was carried out in Calabar, a city located on the south-eastern axis of Nigeria. Calabar is rapidly acquiring the status of a tourism destination in the country and as such the lifestyles of the city dwellers are changing rapidly.


METHODS
The subjects were apparently healthy students 10 to 18 years old attending day secondary schools in the city. A structured questionnaire was used to collect demographic and anthropometric data from the students. Blood samples were collected from 375 adolescents and used for analyzing their lipid profiles.


METHODS
Abnormal levels of serum lipids.


RESULTS
The results showed that only one subject (0.3%) had an abnormally high total cholesterol (TC) level and 33% of the subjects had low levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Borderline high levels of total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides (TG) were found in 2.4%, 3.2% and 5.1% of subjects respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that the lipid profiles of Nigerians are low but gradually rising towards values seen in places where coronary heart disease occurs in epidemic proportions. This may point to an increased risk ofarteriosclerosis in future generations.
Odey
F A
FA
Department of Paediatrics University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Uyo, Nigeria. awhobe@yahoo.com
Ekanem
E E
EE
Udoh
A E
AE
Ntui
I
I
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides