A study of cardiovascular risk factors and their determinants in finnish children

This report describes the results of a cross-sectional study of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and their determinants among Finnish children. A random sample of 634 subjects (three- and 12-year-old girls and boys, and 17-year-old boys) was selected, and 72% of the subjects invited participated. The children were from five cities and their rural surroundings, representing various parts of Finland. Of the total energy intake, 14% was obtained from protein, 36% and 38-39% from fat, and 50% and 47-48% from carbohydrate by the three- and 12-year-old children, respectively. The mean polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids (P/S) ratio for the whole series was 0.21, rural children having a lower ratio than urban children. In the three- and 12-year-old children the mean plasma cholesterol concentrations were 4.8 and 4.9 mmol/l, HDL-cholesterol 1.3 and 1.5 mmol/l and triglycerides 0.83 and 0.87 mmol/l, respectively. These plasma cholesterol concentrations are high by international standards. In the 17-year-old boys the mean plasma cholesterol was 4.3, and HDL-cholesterol 1.2 mmol/l, respectively. Plasma cholesterol values were higher in eastern than in western Finland in the older children. The relationship between plasma lipid concentrations and the composition of the diet was apparent in the 12-year-old group.