Prevalence of Elevated Serum Cholesterol Among Active Duty Navy Personnel.

摘要

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, costing billions of dollars annually in health care and associated costs. Epidemiological studies provide strong evidence for a casual link between increased blood cholesterol levels and increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). The U.S. Navy is seeking to reduce the incidence of CHD among its members by identifying and treating individuals with elevated serum cholesterol. Research is needed to establish baseline prevalence rates of hypercholesterolemia, correlates of undesirable cholesterol levels, patterns of change, and efficacy of interventions. The specific objectives of this study were to (a) replicate and extend earlier findings of cholesterol levels at different age groups in the Navy; (b) compare risk rates using recently promulgated Navy standards with risk rates using more traditional cutpoints; (c) estimate prevalence of risk on total cholesterol (TOTCHOL), LDL-cholesterol (LDL), HDL-cholesterol (HDL), triglycerides (TRIG), and the TOTCHOL:HDL ratio; (d) examine prevalence of risk among various subgroups; (e) compare Navy patterns with national norms; and (f) draw attention to some of the problems inherent in interpreting these data. Keywords: Cholesterol; Health promotion; Physical readiness program; Serum; Navy personnel; Coronary heart disease. (jg)