SERUM-LIPIDS AND LIPOPROTEIN PROFILES OF MILITARY PERSONNEL AND THEIRFAMILIES - FORT-POLK-HEART-SMART-PROGRAM

Serum lipid and lipoprotein distributions and their correlates were ex amined in white, black, and Hispanic Army personnel and their families (N = 589) as part of the Fort Polk Heart Smart Program. In general, b lacks tended to have higher HDL-C and lower triglycerides and VLDL-C t han whites and Hispanics, whereas Hispanics tended to manifest higher triglycerides, VLDL-C, and LDL-C than whites. Unlike black and Hispani c men, white men tended to have lower HDL-C than white women. In contr ast to white men, both black and Hispanic men displayed elevated LDL-C compared with black and Hispanic women. A considerable proportion of individuals tended to manifest adverse lipoprotein patterns according to National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines for children and adults. Cigarette smoking and alcohol use were the major contributors to the variance of lipoproteins in men, whereas overweight and oral co ntraceptive use remained the major factors in this regard for women. T hese results indicate that early targeting of military personnel and t heir family members for primary prevention is highly desirable.