The prevalence of dyslipidemia among a rural Thai population in the Nakhon Si Thammarat province.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence and risk factors for dyslipidemia among a rural Thai population in the Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Southern Thailand.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: Following a 12-hour fast, blood was drawn to assess the total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) cholesterol levels. Dyslipidemia was defined according to the NCEP ATP III guidelines. The demographic and anthropometric data were recorded

RESULTS: Three hundred two subjects (68 men and 234 women) between the ages of 19 and 84 years old were enrolled in the present study. The mean levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C were 207.57 +/- 45.66, 122.54 +/- 71.54, 125.36 +/- 37.22, and 56.96 +/-13.39 mg/dl, respectively. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia (> or = 200 mg/dl), hypertriglyceridemia (150 mg/dl), high LDL-C (> or = 130 mg/dl), and low HDL-C (< 40 mg/dl) was 56.62%, 26.49%, 43.05%, and 6.95%, respectively. The prevalence of dyslipidemia increased with age. The statistically significant related factors of dyslipidemia, including age, female gender, waist circumference, obesity, diabetes mellitus, smoker, current alcohol consumption, and postmenopausal women, were increased (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of dyslipidemia, based primarily on the presence of hypercholesterolemia and high LDL-C, was elevated in this population. Development of a policy to prevent dyslipidemia is urgently needed.