The serum cholesterol level at a young age is considered to be a significant factor in the high prevalence of coronary heart disease. Seven hundred and ninety-six females, mean age 18.9 (18 similar to 22), participated in both blood sampling and a nutritional survey. The nutritional survey was carried out in 1995 by the 24-hour recall method to determine the individual food consumption. The BMI, serum total cholesterol HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride were 20.8 ( SE 0.08) kg/m(2), 181 ( SE 1.0) mg/dL, 60 ( SE 0.4) mg/dL, 66 ( SE 1.2) mg/dL, respectively. Higher than normal levels of total cholesterol (>200 mg/dL) and Lp(a) (>30mg/dL) were obtained in 22.1% and 19.3% of the subjects, respectively. The total energy intake was 1700 kcal/day, twenty-seven % of which was derived from fat and 46% from cereals. In a multiple regression analysis, the serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were found to be significantly associated with the BMI as well as the simple carbohydrate and fat energy ratio, respectively, whereas the HDL showed a significantly negative correlation with the BMI. The triglyceride level was associated with the BMI. These results suggests that the BMI, fat energy ratio and simple carbohydrate intake, such as cakes and beverages, appear to be the main factors influencing of hyperlipidemia in young Japanese females. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.
