Background The Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS) is a long term integrated community-based program for prevention of non-communicable disorders (NCD) by development of a healthy lifestyle and reduction of NCD risk factors. The study begun in 1999, is ongoing, to be continued for at least 20 years. A primary survey was done to collect baseline data in 15005 individuals, over 3 years of age, selected from cohorts of three medical heath centers. A questionnaire for past medical history and data was completed during interviews; blood pressure, pulse rate, and anthropometrical measurements and a limited physical examination were performed and lipid profiles, fasting blood sugar and 2-hours-postload-glucose challenge were measured. A DNA bank was also collected. For those subjects aged over 30 years, Rose questionnaire was completed and an electrocardiogram was taken. Data collected were directly stored in computers as database software- computer assisted system. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of lifestyle modification in preventing or postponing the development of NCD risk factors and outcomes in the TLGS population. Design and methods In phase II of the TLGS, lifestyle interventions were implemented in 5630 people and 9375 individuals served as controls. Primary, secondary and tertiary interventions were designed based on specific target groups including schoolchildren, housewives, and high-risk persons. Officials of various sectors such as health, education, municipality, police, media, traders and community leaders were actively engaged as decision makers and collaborators. Interventional strategies were based on lifestyle modifications in diet, smoking and physical activity through face-to-face education, leaflets & brochures, school program alterations, training volunteers as health team and treating patients with NCD risk factors. Collection of demographic, clinical and laboratory data will be repeated every 3 years to assess the effects of different interventions in the intervention group as compared to control group. Conclusion This controlled community intervention will test the possibility of preventing or delaying the onset of non-communicable risk factors and disorders in a population in nutrition transition. Trial registration ISRCTN52588395

The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among Tehran urban population is high; particularly of high total cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol levels, and high waist to hip ratio. An effective strategy for life style modification is a cornerstone of a population approach to the cardiovascular risk factors. Moreover, these results will serve as a baseline for assessment of future trends in the risk factors studied.

Data from 6246 participants aged 20-64 years (2339 males and 3907 females) in the cross-sectional phase of Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (February 1999-May 2000) were used to determine distribution of serum lipid levels after 12-14 hour overnight fast. Mean total cholesterol (TC) concentration was 210 mg/dl. TC was significantly greater in females than males, 213 and 206 mg/dl, respectively (p < 0.0001). Thirty-one percent of population had TC values between 200 and 239 and 24% had values of 240 mg/dl or greater. Mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was 129 and 135 mg/dl in males and females, respectively (p < 0.0001). Twenty-seven percent had LDL-C values between 130 and 159 and 23% had values 160 mg/dl or greater. The mean triglycerides (TGs) values were 190 and 162 mg/dl for males and females, respectively (p < 0.0001). The mean high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was 39 in males and 45 mg/dl in females (p < 0.0001). The results showed higher levels of TC, LDL-C and TGs and slightly lower HDL-C in Tehranian adults than other studies in the industrialized countries.

It seems that for short-term prediction of cardiovascular disease outcome, serum total cholesterol is the preferred lipid parameter to measure in the Iranian population.

This study is the first report on the prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and its associated risk factors in adult residents of Tehran. Standard supine ECG data were collected for 5984 men and women aged ≥ 30 years and coded by Minnesota criteria. All major cardiovascular risk factors were also measured. Based on Rose angina, self-reported history of CHD or ECG-defined CHD, the aged-adjusted prevalence of CHD was 21.8% (22.3% in women and 18.8% in men). Variables independently associated with CHD were female sex, age, systolic blood pressure, 2-hour postprandial glucose, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio and LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio.

Background and Objectives: Recently, metabolic syndrome (MS) was suggested to be an independent risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study explored the relationship between MS and risk for development of CKD that is independent of diabetes.Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: The study population consisted of 4607 adult (age >18 yr) individuals who did not have diabetes or CKD at baseline and were successfully followed for 3 yr in the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study, a prospective, population-based study of risk factors for atherosclerosis and diabetes. Individuals with and without MS at baseline were compared regarding development of new CKD.Results Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that MS is a cluster of multiple risk factors, and, as a cluster, it is a significant risk for CKD. The risk of MS for developing CKD is highly affected by the presence of diabetes and hypertension, and it seems that clustering of individual risk factors is more plausibly associated with risk for developing CKD than a unique biologic phenomenon.

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BackgroundCardiometabolic risk factors comprise cardiovascular diseases and/or diabetes, and need to be evaluated in different fields.ObjectiveThe primary aim of the Tehran Cardiometabolic Genetic Study (TCGS) is to create a comprehensive genome-wide database of at least 16,000 Tehranians, who are participants of the ongoing Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS) cohort.MethodsTCGS was designed in collaboration with the Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences and the genetic company deCODE. Participants had already been followed for over a 20-year period for major cardiometabolic-related health events including myocardial infarction, stroke, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, hyperlipidemia, and familial hypercholesterolemia.ResultsThe TCGS cohort described here comprises 17,186 (86.3%) of the 19,905 TLGS participants who provided a baseline blood sample that was adequate for plasma and deoxyribonucleic acid analysis. This study is comprised of 849 individuals and 3109 families with at least one member having genotype information. Finally, 5977 males and 7422 females with the total genotyping rate of 0.9854 were genotyped with HumanOmniExpress-24-v1-0 bead chips (containing 649,932 single-nucleotide polymorphism loci with an average mean distance of 4 kilobases).ConclusionsInvestigations conducted within the TCGS will seek to identify relevant patterns of genetic polymorphisms that could be related to cardiometabolic risk factors in participants from Tehran. By linking genome-wide data to the existing databank of TLGS participants, which includes comprehensive behavioral, biochemical, and clinical data on each participant since cohort inception in 1999, the TCGS will also allow exploration of gene-gene and gene-environment interactions as they relate to disease status.