Changes in total serum cholesterol for cardiovascular disease in a Mediterranean area, 1989-1999

This work is about the comparison between two studies performed in southern Italy: 'Montecorvino Rovella Project' (PMR, 1988-1989) and 'VIP Project' (Prevention in the Irno Valley, 1998-1999) to evaluate the trend of cholesterolaemia in an area of the Campania region. These two areas which are near the city of Salerno have similar social and economic conditions and are where the Mediterranean diet originated. In both studies, people between 25 and 74 years were enlisted at random from the electoral rolls and subjected to blood tests. Total serum cholesterol was determined by an enzymatic method in the VIP as in the PMR. In the last 10 years, data show a reduction of mean cholesterolaemia of 5.5 mg/dl for men and of 3.5 mg/dl for women. In 1999, serum cholesterol for men and women is respectively 199.3 and 199.4 mg/100 ml. Ten years ago, the values were respectively 204.8 and 202.9 mg/100 ml. Prevalence of age-adjusted cholesterolaemia > or = 240 mg/100 ml decreased from 20.8 to 13.6% for men and from 19.8 to 18.6% for women. The Mediterranean diet protected the population of southern Italy from ischemic heart disease from 1950 to 1960. After this period, the population changed its eating habits, and one of the consequences was an increasing level of cholesterol. During the past decades, a return to the Mediterranean diet and the use of drugs have been responsible for lowering cholesterol.