ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: A precise knowledge of the prevalence and importance of cardiovascular risk factors will facilitate the development of preventive strategies. AIM: To study cardiovascular risk factors among healthy young adults. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eight hundred and fifty subjects aged 22 to 28 years, living in two cities in Valparaiso province, were studied. Weight, height and blood pressure were recorded. A fasting blood sample was obtained from 806 individuals (54% female), to measure plasma lipids, glucose and insulin levels, to estimate their homeostasis model assessment scores (HOMA) and to evaluate the occurrence of metabolic syndrome. RESULTS: Five percent of the studied population had high blood pressure, 14% had obesity, 57% smoked, 25% had high total cholesterol levels, 10.5% had high levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol, 46% had low levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol, 16% had high triglyceride levels, 36% had insulin resistance, 7% had a metabolic syndrome, 14% were heavy drinkers and 38% were sedentary. Women had a higher prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome. In only 24% of the studied subjects, no risk factor was identified. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors was found in this population of young adults.