NUTRITIONAL AND GENETIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO SERUM-CHOLESTEROL CONCENTRATION IN A CHILDRENS FOLLOW-UP-STUDY

In the Finnish multicentre study of cardiovascular risk in young Finns in 1980, 1983 and 1986, 2429, 2052 and 1841 9 to 18-year-old children and adolescents participated. In 1980, subjects of eastern origin liv ing in the west had, despite their western diet, higher serum choleste rol concentrations than subjects both residing in and originating from the west. In males, eastern origin increased the east/west difference in serum cholesterol concentrations. Between 1980 and 1986 the mean s erum total cholesterol of the study cohorts decreased by 5.5% and simu ltaneously the east/west differences in serum cholesterol concentratio ns disappeared in boys. The study suggests that genetic background is a separate factor determining serum total cholesterol level, but with declining serum cholesterol concentrations the effect of the genetic f actor does not become manifest.