Predictors of cardiovascular risk factors in Tehranian adolescents: Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the major health and social problems in Iran. The aim of this study is to determine the predictors of CVD risk factors in adolescents residing in district 13 of Tehran.

Dietary intake assessment was undertaken with two separate 24-hour recall interviews with adolescents aged 11-18 years, selected from among 15005 subjects who were participants of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study. After excluding the under- and over-reporters, 290 adolescents remained in the study. Data related to cigarette smoking was collected. Height and weight were assessed and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Blood pressure was measured twice at intervals in a seated position. Serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) concentrations were measured in a blood sample after 12 hours of fasting, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was calculated. To determine the predictors of CVD risk factors stepwise linear regression was used.

There were strong positive correlations between BMI and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in girls: (beta = 1.8, p < 0.001; beta = 0.8, p < 0.001) and boys (beta =0.04, p < 0.001; beta = 0.05, p < 0.01). There was an inverse association between calcium intake and systolic (beta = -0.16, p < 0.05) and diastolic blood pressure in boys (beta = -0.36, p < 0.01), as well as inverse association between calcium intake and systolic (beta = -1.2, p < 0.05) and diastolic blood pressure (beta = -0.05, p < 0.05) and serum triglycerides (beta = -0.1, p < 0.01) in girls. Positive correlations were found between BMI and cholesterol in girls (beta = 0.2, p < 0.01) and boys (beta = 0.31, p < 0.01).

Certain dietary and life style factors predict CVD risk factors in Tehranian adolescents.