Contribution of education level and dairy fat sources to serum cholesterol in Russian and Finnish Karelia: results from four cross-sectional risk factor surveys in 1992–2007

Abstract

BackgroundFood habits vary by socio-economic group and geographic area. Data on socio-economic differences in food habits and in serum total cholesterol concentration from Russia are scarce. Our aim was to examine changes and educational differences in serum total cholesterol and in the consumption of major sources of saturated fat in two geographically neighbouring areas, Russian and Finnish Karelia, and to examine whether the foods associated with serum total cholesterol are different in the two areas.MethodsData from cross-sectional risk factor surveys from years 1992, 1997, 2002 and 2007 in the district of Pitkäranta, the Republic of Karelia, Russia (n = 2672), and North Karelia, Finland (n = 5437), were used. The analyses included two phases. 1) To examine the differences in cholesterol by education, the means and 95% confidence intervals for education groups were calculated for each study year. 2) Multivariate linear regression analysis was employed to examine the role of butter in cooking, butter on bread, fat-containing milk and cheese in explaining serum total cholesterol. In these analyses, the data for all four study years were combined.ResultsIn Pitkäranta, serum total cholesterol fluctuated during the study period (1992–2007), whereas in North Karelia cholesterol levels declined consistently. No apparent differences in cholesterol levels by education were observed in Pitkäranta. In North Karelia, cholesterol was lower among subjects in the highest education tertile compared to the lowest education tertile in 1992 and 2002. In Pitkäranta, consumption of fat-containing milk was most strongly associated with cholesterol (β=0.19, 95% CI 0.10, 0.28) adjusted for sex, age, education and study year. In North Karelia, using butter in cooking (β=0.09, 95% CI 0.04, 0.15) and using butter on bread (β=0.09, 95% CI 0.02, 0.15) had a significant positive association with cholesterol.ConclusionsIn the two geographically neighbouring areas, the key foods influencing serum cholesterol levels varied considerably. Assessment and regular monitoring of food habits are essential to plan nutrition education messages that are individually tailored for the target area and time.

Greater decreases in cholesterol levels among individuals with high cardiovascular risk than among the general population: the northern Sweden MONICA study 1994 to 2014

“… 27 Recent studies from Scandinavia have presented data up to 2010 and found stable 28 or diminishing 7 , 29 educational inequalities in cholesterol levels as well as a levelling off. 30 We found no differences according to education among men, and the higher cholesterol initially noted among women with low education were not present in 2014. This is encouraging and supports the joint efforts of society and health care in achieving a healthier life style and that they have also reached deprived groups.…”

No simple answers for the Finnish and Russian Karelia allergy contrast: Methylation of CD14 gene

“…High or low CD14 expression has been suggested to interact with environmental exposure to endotoxin (LPS), thereby precipitating allergic phenotypes (8,25). Furthermore, burden of viral infections, exposure to fungi, diet, parental smoking behaviour and other socio-economic factors also vary between the two populations (26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33). All these factors may not only influence the allergic phenotype but also have an effect on DNA methylation thus contributing to the observed inconsistent methylation patterns.…”

Associations between dietary macronutrient quality and asthenozoospermia risk: a hospital-based case-control study

“…Secondly, a high CQI is likely to represent a high intake of dietary fiber, which can lower cholesterol levels, 46 and a high level of education had the same effect. 47 While a lower cholesterol level was detrimental to male fertility. 48–50 For instance, a large-scale study of 7601 general men in China suggested that a higher cholesterol level was correlated with better sperm motility.…”