title: LDL-cholesterol and body mass index among Japanese schoolchildren: a population-based cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is one of the most important risk factors for coronary heart disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between LDL-C and body mass index (BMI) in population-based Japanese schoolchildren.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects comprised all fourth graders and seventh graders in Ina Town, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, during 2002-2009. Information about each subject's age, sex, and family history of hypercholesterolemia was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The body height, weight, and LDL-C were measured for each child. LDL-C was measured using the direct method. According to the LDL-C criteria of the Japan Atherosclerosis Society, LDL-C level was categorized into three subgroups: acceptable, < 110 mg/dL; borderline, 110-139 mg/dL; and high, ≥ 140 mg/dL. Children with either borderline or high LDL-C level were considered to have high-normal LDL-C (HLDL-C).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from a total of 5869 subjects were analyzed. A higher BMI category was associated with a higher prevalence of HLDL-C regardless of sex or grade level (P < 0.05). When compared with the <50th percentile BMI category, the odds ratio (OR) for HLDL-C was statistically significant in the 75th to 84th percentile category of fourth-grade boys (OR: 1.95, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.28-2.97), the 85th to 94th percentile of fourth-grade girls (2.52, 1.74-3.64), and the 85th to 94th percentile of seventh-grade boys (2.04, 1.31-3.20) and girls (1.90, 1.24-2.91).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A statistically significant association between LDL-C levels and BMI was observed in Japanese school children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8 Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan. shirasawa@med.showa-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shirasawa
authors.forename: Hirotaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ochiai
authors.forename: Tadahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohtsu
authors.forename: Rimei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hoshino
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tajima
authors.forename: Akatsuki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kokaze
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL