HEART-DISEASE RISK-FACTOR STATUS AND DIETARY-CHANGES IN THE CRETAN POPULATION OVER THE PAST 30 Y - THE 7 COUNTRIES STUDY

A follow-up study was conducted to identify the heart disease risk-fac tor status and dietary changes of surviving elderly subjects in Crete who took part in the Seven Countries Study in 1960. In 1991, data were obtained from 245 of the 686 original male participants (169 of the o riginal 40-49-y age group and 76 men from the 50-59-y age group). In 1 991, the men were 70-79 and 80-89 y old. There was a significant (11.5 %) increase in serum total cholesterol concentrations between 1960 and 1991. Body mass index and systolic and diastolic blood pressures also increased significantly, and all age groups were characterized by cen tral obesity. A representative subsample of 21 men took part in a 3-d weighed food record study. Dietary data indicated increases in the int ake of saturated fat and decreases in monounsaturated fat over the 30- y period. Comparison with a 1962 representative Cretan sample indicate d a significantly increased concentration of adipose palmitic acid (16 :0) in our surviving sample. The observed changes occurred during a pe riod when many developed countries were observing a decline in most he art disease risk factors.