TRENDS IN SERUM-LIPID LEVELS DURING 1980-1992 IN CHILDREN AND YOUNG-ADULTS - THE CARDIOVASCULAR RISK IN YOUNG FINNS STUDY

To assess secular trends in serum lipid levels in Finnish children and young adults, the authors examined a total of 3,517, 2,769, 2,392, 35 2, and 880 subjects who had complete data on serum lipids in 1980, 198 3, 1986, 1989, and 1992, respectively, in a longitudinal follow-up stu dy. Trend analyses were carried out among subjects aged 15 (n = 1,835) or 18 (n = 1,562) years to exclude the confounding effect of age on t he study variables. Data on obesity, physical activity, smoking, and a lcohol use were available from each study year, and data on diet were available for the study years 1980, 1986, and 1992. Between 1980 and 1 992, mean total cholesterol levels decreased from 4.88 to 4.47 mmol/li ter (from 189 to 173 mg/dl), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol l evels decreased from 3.06 to 2.85 mmol/liter (from 119 to 110 mg/dl). The mean high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased by 19%, from 1.43 to 1.15 mmol/liter (55.2 to 44.6 mg/dl). During 1986-1992, triglyceride levels increased by 15%, from 0.88 to 1.01 mmol/liter (78 .2 to 89.9 mg/dl). During 1980-1992, body mass index values increased from 20.8 to 21.8 kg/m(2), parallel to increases in skinfold thickness . In the diet, the ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids i ncreased from 0.26 to 0.39. Alcohol and oral contraceptive use became more frequent, and the subjects tended to become less physically activ e. In conclusion, a change in the lipid profile in Finnish adolescents aged 15 and 18 years and young adults during 1980-1992 was observed, characterized by a decrease in low density lipoprotein cholesterol and high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and an increase in trigly ceride level. Possible determinants for these changes include alterati ons in diet and a trend toward increased obesity.