Hypercholesterolemia and associated cardiovascular risk factors in young children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia (HPC) and associated risk factors for cardiovascular disease, in young children and adolescents.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study, with stratification for age and gender.

SETTING

Primary Care study.

PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS

572 young children and adolescents, five through seventeen years of age in the year 2000, with no known previous personal history of cardiovascular disease, representing the Portuguese population for age and gender.

INTERVENTION

Measurement of cholesterol on an occasional whole blood sample, along with anthropometric measures, blood pressure measurement, and study of family history for cardiovascular disease factors.

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

291 males and 281 females. HPC prevalence of 17.6% (male = 15.1% and female = 20.3%, ns), girls presenting with higher mean values of total cholesterol (184.75 +/- 13.27 vs. 180.27 +/- 10.44, p = 0.06). Obesity prevalence of 35.4%, and arterial hypertension of 6.6%. HPC is more common among those with positive family history for cardiovascular disease risk factors (p = 0.01). Pulse pressure is lower in the hpc group (p = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

A hypercholesterolemia prevalence of 17.6% was found among children and adolescents, with strong association of family history for cardiovascular disease risk factors. In the light of these results, much further work will be needed to achieve reduction--or at least control--of this very important risk situation.