INFLUENCE OF ETHNIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL-FAC TORS ON BLOOD LIPID-LEVELS IN SCHOLARS FROM THE VIII REGION

We studied fasting total, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides in 329 chi ldren aced from 6 to 15 years. One hundred and ten lived in Concepcion and were considered urban. Two hundred nineteen lived in Alto Bio-Bio and were considered rural; of these, 173 had a pehuenche aboriginal o rigin. Rural pehuenche, rural non pehuenche and urban children had a t otal cholesterol of 123.7 +/- 23, 133.7 +/- 25.8 and 153.7 +/- 29.7 mg /dl respectively, a HDL cholesterol of 39.2 +/- 9.1, 38.8 +/- 9.1 and 46.2 +/- 11.3 mg/dl respectively and triglycerides of 83.3 +/- 33.5, 9 6.7 +/- 33.5 and 81.9 +/- 33.3 mg/dl respectiely. Lipid levels were ab ove safe values in 2.9% of pehuenche, 8.7% non pehuenche rural and 13. 6% or urban children. It is concluded that the higher lipid levels of urban and non pehuenche children supports the favorable effect of rura l environment and pehuenche ethnic origin on cardiovascular risk facto rs.