LIPID AND ISCHEMIC-HEART-DISEASE RISK-FACTORS IN AN URBANISING SOUTH-AFRICAN WORKFORCE

Objective. To determine the prevalence of ischaemic heart disease (IHD ) risk factors in an urbanising black workforce. Design. A cross-secti onal study. Subjects. 341 men aged 21 - 71 years working at a lead aci d battery plant in the city of East London. Outcome measures. Major an d minor risk factors for IHD, lipid and lipoprotein levels including a polipoprotein A-1 and B and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle siz e. Results. At the high risk level, 35.2% of workers had one major ris k factor. Smoking was the most common, with 52.2% of participants smok ing at least one cigarette per day. Approximately 31% had a total chol esterol level carrying a risk for developing IHD, while 21.8% had LDL species that may carry IHD risk. The mean diastolic and systolic blood pressures were low. Hypertension was present in 15.6% of the subjects . The prevalence of obesity was 17.8% and about 40% of workers had an inactive lifestyle. Conclusion. This urbanising workforce is at consid erable risk for developing IHD. The possibility of using the workplace to introduce intervention programmes to limit the impact of IHD risk factors needs to be explored.