Lipid Level And Its Risk Factors In The Guangxi Bai Ku Yao Population

Objective:Hyperlipidemia is a risk factor for atherosclerotic events.It may exist difference of levels in different races.Bai Ku Yao(White-trousers Yao) is a special branch of the Yao minority in China.They are now living in both Lihu and Baxu villages,the infertile mountain areas in Nandan County,Guangxi, China.The population is about 30,000.The special customs and culture of Bai Ku Yao,including their clothing,intra-ethnic marriages,ballad,funerals,Bronze Drum,alcohol intake,and spinning top activities are still completely conserved to the present day.The aim of this study is to detect the lipid level and its risk factors in the Guangxi Bai Ku Yao population.Methods:A total of 1170 subjects of Bai Ku Yao were studied by a stratified randomized cluster sampling.Blood pressure,body height,body weight,waist circumference and serum lipid and apolipoprotein(Apo)levels were measured.The data were compared with those in 1173 subjects of Han Chinese from the same region.Results:The level of physical activity,and the intakes of carbohydrate, vegetal protein,and total dietary fiber in Bai Ku Yao were significantly higher than those in Han(P＜0.001 for all),whereas the education level,height,weight, body mass index(BMI),waist circumference,and the intakes of total energy, total protein,total fat,dietary cholesterol,and table salt in Han were significantly higher than those in Bai Ku Yao(P＜0.05-0.001).The levels of total cholesterol,high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,Apo A1 and Apo B in Bai Ku Yao were significantly lower than those in Han(P＜0.01-0.001);respectively.There were no significant differences in the levels of triglyceride and the ratio of Apo Al to Apo B(P＞0.05).The prevalence of hyperlipidemia was also significantly lower in Bai Ku Yao than in Han(24.36%vs.33.93%,P＜0.001).Hyperlipidemia was positively correlated with age,alcohol consumption,BMI,and waist circumference in Han (P＜0.05-0.001),whereas it was positively correlated with BMI and waist circumference in Bai Ku Yao(P＜0.001 for each).Conclusion:The differences in the lipid levels and the risk factors between the Bai Ku Yao and Han populations might result from different dietary habit, life style,as well as genetic factors.