To survey risk factors in coronary heart disease, we compared serum fatty acid composition and lipids for university students in Japan (33 males and 29 females) and in the Netherlands (20 males and 19 females). No significant differences were found between the mean levels of cholesterol (Chol) and triglycerides (TG) between the subjects in the two countries. The mean levels of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and saturated fatty acid (SFA) of Japanese students were similar to those of the Dutch students. In both countries, the levels of Chol showed a positive correlation with the levels of PUFA, n-6 PUFA, linoleic acid (C18:2n-6), and arachidonic acid (AA, C20:4n-6) but no correlation with the percentages of PUFA and the ratio of PUFA/SFA. On the other hand, the TG levels correlated inversely with the percentage of PUFA and the ratios of PUFMSFA in both countries. When compared to those of Japanese students, low eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n-3) and high AA were found in the Dutch students (p < 0.001, respectively). The total amounts of n-3 PUFA in the Dutch were significantly lower than those in the Japanese (p < 0.001) but no differences among those of n-6 PUFA. The ratios of EPA/AA and n-3/n-6 PUFA of the Dutch students were lower than those of the Japanese students (p < 0.001, respectively). The ratio of EPA/AA showed a positive correlation with EPA but not with AA in both countries. The levels of Toc which will decrease the risk of coronary vascular disease (CVD) were lower in Japan than those in the Dutch in both sexes (p < 0.01, respectively). These results suggest that the low EPA and high AA levels and the low n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio may lead to greater incidence of CVD.

Objective: The present study examined the levels of serum α-Tocopherol (Toc), retinol (Ret), cholesterol (Chol) and triglycerides (TG), and their correlations in the sera of people in Nepal.Methods: The survey was conducted on the general populace in the agricultural Terai region in southern Nepal. The study population consisted of 93 males and 83 females aged 10-68 years. Serum Toc and Ret were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography.Results: No significant differences were observed between the genders for the average of total Chol (T-Chol) (140 and 145 mg/100 ml, respectively), HDL-C (45 and 47 mg/100 ml), LDL-C (94 and 97 mg/ 100 ml), and TG (106 and 110 mg/100 ml), and the ratio of LDL/HDL (2.16). The levels of mean Toc (4.32 and 4.27 μg/ml) were about the same for both genders, while the mean Ret levels were significantly higher for males (624 ng/ml) than for females (535 ng/ml) (p<0.001). A direct relationship was found between the levels of Toc and Ret (r=0.46, p<0.001 and r=0.28, p<0.05 for males and females, respectively). Serum levels of Toc and Ret were positively related to the levels of Chol (r=0.48 and r=0.58, p<0.001 for males and r=0.49, p<0.001 and r=0.33, p<0.01 for females, respectively) and TG (r=0.23 and r=0.28, p<0.05 for males and r=0.29, p<0.01 and r=0.28, p<0.05 for females, respectively). The ratio of Toc/TG normalized to serum TG was directly correlated to the ratio of Ret/TG (r=0.79 for males, and r=0.72 for females, p<0.001, respectively) and the ratios of Toc/TG and Ret/TG were negatively related to the LDL/HDL levels (r=−0.49 and r=−0.43, for males, and r=−0.46 and r=−0.57 for females, p<0.001, respectively).Conclusion: The levels of Toc and Ret were low in the sera of people living in the southern rural Terai region in Nepal, and it was found that lower levels of Toc and Ret normalized to TG increased the ratio of LDL/HDL. These results suggest that greater intake of foods rich in Toc and Ret should be encouraged to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Summary Serum nutritional components and food intake were examined in Nepalese (127 males and 163 females aged 4 to 72 years) living in a remote hilly village (area A and B, area A is located at a relatively lower altitude and is warmer) in the eastern region of Nepal. Mean values of height and weight for the groups covering ages 4 to 19 of both sexes and in both areas increased with age. The mean BMI value for each age group was mostly under 22, and the BMI correlated with age, and with systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The mean values of serum components were about the same levels in both sexes. Mean values of triglyceride (TG) of over 150 mg/dl were found in males 20-50 years old and in females over 50 years old in area A, and generally the mean values of TG of the subjects tended to be in the higher range of normal. The main foods consumed in both areas were rice, maize, potatoes, pulses, milk and dairy products, and vegetables, with a difference in the amounts consumed. Milk and dairy products were almost the sole food source of animal origin. The rather higher serum TG levels of the subjects may be due to large amounts of consumption of cereals containing a lot of carbohydrate, which transformed into lipids in the metabolic pathway. The present food intake study revealed that the amounts of food consumed were not adequate resulting in a latent and chronic deficiency of nutrients, especially such as calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), and fat-soluble vitamins. These results suggest that improvement of the nutritional status is needed in this people group.

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To survey risk factors in coronary heart disease, we compared serum fatty acid composition and lipids for university students in Japan (33 males and 29 females) and in the Netherlands (20 males and 19 females). No significant differences were found between the mean levels of cholesterol (Chol) and triglycerides (TG) between the subjects in the two countries. The mean levels of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and saturated fatty acid (SFA) of Japanese students were similar to those of the Dutch students. In both countries, the levels of Chol showed a positive correlation with the levels of PUFA, n-6 PUFA, linoleic acid (C18:2n-6), and arachidonic acid (AA, C20:4n-6) but no correlation with the percentages of PUFA and the ratio of PUFA/SFA. On the other hand, the TG levels correlated inversely with the percentage of PUFA and the ratios of PUFA/SFA in both countries. When compared to those of Japanese students, low eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n-3) and high AA were found in the Dutch students (p < 0.001, respectively). The total amounts of n-3 PUFA in the Dutch were significandy lower than those in the Japanese (p < 0.001) but no differences among those of n-6 PUFA. The ratios of EPA/AA and n-3/n-6 PUFA of the Dutch students were lower than those of the Japanese students (p < 0.001, respectively). The ratio of EPA/AA showed a positive correlation with EPA but not with AA in both countries. The levels of Toc which will decrease the risk of coronary vascular disease (CVD) were lower in Japan than those in the Dutch in both sexes (p < 0.01, respectively). These results suggest that the low EPA and high AA levels and the low n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio may lead to greater incidence of CVD.