Divergent Age-associated Patterns of High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Its Percentage in Jewish and Moslem Arab Israeli Children and Adolescents: The Petach Tikva Project

Abstract

We studied three groups of Israeli Jewish schoolchildren in and surrounding Petach Tikva, Israel, cross-sectionally, at ages 9-10, 13-14, and 16-18 years, and compared lipid and lipoprotein levels and age-associated lipoprotein patterns in the same age groups of boys and girls in neighboring Israeli Moslem Arab schools during 1986-1987. Moslem children displayed striking differences in the levels of lipids and age-associated patterns of lipoproteins compared with Jewish schoolchildren. The mean total cholesterol levels were lower in the Moslem children, in both sexes, in every age grouping. High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were significantly higher at age 16-18 in the Moslem boys than in the Jewish boys. While the Jewish boys displayed a previously reported "typical" pattern of lower HDL-C levels postpuberty compared with prepuberty, the Moslem boys had markedly higher mean HDL-C levels at age 16-18 compared with those at age 9-10. The Moslem girls also had higher HDL-C levels at age 16-18 than those observed in the age 9-10 group. Concomitantly higher HDL-C levels (HDL-C/total cholesterol (%)) were seen in the Moslem boys and girls, at age 16-18 compared with age 9-10, but were not observed in the Jewish children. The identification of an ethnic group in whom HDL-C appears to increase at or near puberty could provide opportunities to elucidate factors that may increase HDL-C in individuals or in populations.

The lack of effect of isoflavones on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations in adolescent boys: a 6-week randomised trial

“…The studies in Japanese children 6 and Israeli Moslem 5 children were observational studies comparing populations of different ethnic backgrounds. These studies did not reveal the relevant cause of the differences in HDL-C in postpubescent boys.…”

“…Saponins, for example, are present in soy protein isolate at three times the concentrations of isoflavones 39 and have been shown, among a number of bioactivities, to reduce cholesterol 38 , 40 . Our reason for choosing isolated isoflavones was based on the hypothesis that the lack of a ‘usual’ fall in HDL-C during puberty observed in both Japanese boys 6 and Moslem boys from Israel 5 may be due to a diet containing phyto-oestrogens that impact on hormonal changes at this time. In the Japanese diet the source of phyto-oestrogens is soy protein and in the Moslem diet, chick-peas and lentils.…”

“…However, two studies show that what has been regarded as the ‘typical’ fall of HDL-C with puberty in boys is not universal. Greenland et al 5 . found a 10–20% fall in HDL-C between the ages of 9–10 years and 16–18 years among Jewish boys in Israel, whereas among Moslem boys there was a rise in HDL-C between these ages.…”

“…However, two studies show that what has been regarded as the 'typical' fall of HDL-C with puberty in boys is not universal. Greenland et al 5 found a 10-20% fall in HDL-C between the ages of 9-10 years and 16-18 years among Jewish boys in Israel, whereas among Moslem boys there was a rise in HDL-C between these ages. Our group has previously published data comparing Japanese, Australian and American boys from the same age groups and found similar outcomes 6 .…”