ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ON 1 SERUMLIPIDS AMONG CHILDREN AGED 6-12 YEARS

Abstract

Increased serum lipids and hypertension are primary physiological risk factors for arterioslcerotic cardiovascular disease. Cigarette smoking, obesity and family history are other major lifestyle variables contributing to heart disease. Since the atherosclerotic process begin in childhood and progress slowly into adulthood, detection of hyperlipidemia (particularly total cholesterol and LDL-ch) in children is important to take early prophylactic measurement for those children.

The aim of this work was to detennine serum lipids level in two different communities (urban community, Boulak El Dacrour and rural community, El Katta Village), to detect the underlying environmental and life style factors for hyperlipedemia in children aged 6-12 years.

Predesigned questionnaire sheet was prepared to fulfill the objectives of the study included, personal history, family history, socioeconomic status and dietary habits. Physical and clinical examination of the children was done, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure and skinfold thicknesses was also measured. Blood sample was taken from each child for the estimation of the serum levels of total lipids, triglyceride, cholesterol, high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein.

Our results revealed that generally almost all parameters were higher in urban children than those of rural children.

There was a highly significant differences between the anthropometric measurements of urban and rural children, in other words better growth pattern was shown for urban children than that for rural children