Epidemiological and nutritional research on prevention of cardiovascular disease in China

Anthropological evidence suggests that regional differences in eating pract ices may be characterized by sub-ethnicity. Hakka is one sub-ethnicity who still retain a unique way of life in China. A field survey on diet and heal th among the Hakka people was undertaken in 1994. Approximately 200 partici pants were interviewed for their medical history, life-style and food habit s. Blood pressure, body mass index, blood sample, 24 h urine and electrocar diogram were collected. The food samples taken from one tenth of the partic ipants were analyzed for the ingredients in their daily meals. From this su rvey the prevalence of hypertension in Hakka was approximately 10 %. The so dium/potassium ratio was lower than that in Guangzhou and comparable with t hat in Okinawa, the island of longevity in Japan. For men, taurine level wa s found to be close to that in Mediterranean countries, where there is low mortality from cardiovascular diseases. For women, the taurine level was ev en higher, approximating that of Japanese women, who show the greatest long evity and lowest cardiac mortality worldwide. Less obesity was found in Hak ka people than that in the US, Canada or Japan. These findings suggest that the following are the major reasons for these positive findings: the Hakka people maintain traditional food habits and maintain active awareness of t heir health; the major foods are rice, fish, vegetables and fruits; wide us e of soybeans; extensive consumption of visceral organs which have rich sou rce of trace elements. These eating practices and nutritional patterns may be beneficial factors for preventing atherosclerosis and hypertension.