Food intake and lipid status of three Vietnamese populations with different incomes

In order to have basic data for dietary preventive measures against some va scular diseases caused by disorder of lipid metabolism, food intake and lip id status were investigated in three Vietnamese populations with different per capita income levels. Totally, 299 people aged over 18 were involved in this study. Among them, 38 subjects were selected from one commune with lo w income, 100 and 101 subjects from two urban areas with medium and high in come respectively. Food intake was assessed by 24-h recall method and lipid status was evaluated by measuring serum concentration of triglyceride, tot al cholesterol and its subfractions. The results showed that food consumpti on, dietary habits and lipid status varied with income levels. In general, diet was still unbalanced in all three groups, and low in fat and protein. In the rural, fat and protein intakes were lower than in the urban. The hig h prevalence of low serum cholesterol was observed in all three groups, the highest in the rural (45.3%) and the lowest in the urban (11.2%), On the c ontrary, the prevalence of high serum cholesterol was the lowest in the rur al (2%) and the highest in the urban (16%). From these data, it is suggeste d that the majority of the Vietnamese might be vulnerable to some vascular diseases such as stroke if the situation of low fat intake and low serum ch olesterol is not a problem of concern.