title: Distribution and correlates of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides in Lebanese school children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of dyslipidelmia in pediatric Middle-Eastern populations is unknown. Our study aims to investigate the distribution and correlates of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) and triglycerides among Lebanese school children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 969 subjects aged 8-18 years were included in the study (505 boys and 464 girls). Recruitment was done from 10 schools located in the Great Beirut and Mount-Lebanon areas. Non-fasting total cholesterol, triglycerides, and HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured. Non-HDL-C was calculated. Schools were categorized into 3 socioeconomic statuses (SESs; low, middle, and high).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the overall population, the prevalence of high non-HDL-C (>3.8 mmol/L), very high non-HDL-C (>4.9 mmol/L), and high triglycerides (>1.5 mmol/l) are respectively 9.2%, 1.24%, and 26.6%. There is no significant gender difference for non-HDL-C or triglycerides. Non-HDL-C and triglycerides are inversely correlated with age in girls (P < .0001 for both variables) but not in boys. They are also positively correlated with body mass index (BMI) in boys and girls (P < .0001 for all variables). There is no relationship between schools' socioeconomic process (SES) and non-HDL-C. However, triglycerides are higher in children from lower SES schools. After adjustment for age and body mass index (BMI), testosterone is inversely associated with triglycerides in boys (P < .0001). In a multivariate regression analysis, non-HDL-C is independently associated with age and BMI in girls (P < .0001 for both variables) but only with BMI in boys (P < .0001), whereas triglycerides are independently associated with BMI and schools' SES in both girls and boys.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms, in our population, the association between obesity and both high non-HDL-C and triglycerides, and between high triglycerides and low SES.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon. Electronic address: mariehelene.yared@usj.edu.lb.
authors.forename: Marie-Hélène
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Gannagé-Yared
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Farah
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chahine
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Balech
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Toni
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Asmar
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hôtel-Dieu de France Hospital, Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Vanda
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Barakett-Hamadé
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Selim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jambart
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012923:Social Class; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides; D013739:Testosterone; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Lebanese; Non-HDL-Cholesterol; School children; Triglycerides