RESUMEN
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.
Asunto(s)
Humanos , Masculino , Femenino , Adulto , Enfermedades Cardiovasculares/etiología , Chile/epidemiología , Distribución por Sexo , Factores de Riesgo , Prevalencia , Síndrome Metabólico/epidemiología , Tabaquismo/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
El Dr. Roberto Rona es un investigador latinoamericano, nacido y graduado en Chile, que trabaja en el Reino Unido desde hace quince años en la investigación epidemiológica de ciertos problemas del crecimiento físico y de las enfermedades genéticas. Ultimamente, sus investigaciones se han dirigido hacia los importantes dilemas que plantea la incorporación de la tecnología médica. En el artículo que publicamos en este número, el Dr. Rona remarca varios de los problemas que esta incorporación trae aparejados para la salud pública, en especial en los paises en vías de desarrollo