Lipid profiles and determinants of total cholesterol and hypercholesterolaemia among 25–74 year-old urban and rural citizens of the Yangon Region, Myanmar: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

ObjectiveThe first is to estimate the prevalence of dyslipidaemia (hypercholesterolaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia, high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level), as well as the mean levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and HDL, in the urban and rural Yangon Region, Myanmar. The second is to investigate the association between urban-rural location and total cholesterol.DesignTwo cross-sectional studies using the WHO STEPS methodology.SettingBoth the urban and rural areas of the Yangon Region, Myanmar.ParticipantsA total of 1370 men and women aged 25–74 years participated based on a multistage cluster sampling. Physically and mentally ill people, monks, nuns, soldiers and institutionalised people were excluded.ResultsCompared with rural counterparts, urban dwellers had a significantly higher age-standardised prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia (50.7% vs 41.6%; p=0.042) and a low HDL level (60.6% vs 44.4%; p=0.001). No urban-rural differences were found in the prevalence of hypertriglyceridaemia and high LDL. Men had a higher age-standardised prevalence of hypertriglyceridaemia than women (25.1% vs 14.8%; p<0.001), while the opposite pattern was found in the prevalence of a high LDL (11.3% vs 16.3%; p=0.018) and low HDL level (35.3% vs 70.1%; p<0.001).Compared with rural inhabitants, urban dwellers had higher age-standardised mean levels of total cholesterol (5.31 mmol/L, SE: 0.044 vs 5.05 mmol/L, 0.068; p=0.009), triglyceride (1.65 mmol/L, 0.049 vs 1.38 mmol/L, 0.078; p=0.017), LDL (3.44 mmol/L, 0.019 vs 3.16 mmol/L, 0.058; p=0.001) and lower age-standardised mean levels of HDL (1.11 mmol/L, 0.010 vs 1.25 mmol/L, 0.012; p<0.001). In linear regression, the total cholesterol was significantly associated with an urban location among men, but not among women.ConclusionThe mean level of total cholesterol and the prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia were alarmingly high in men and women in both the urban and rural areas of Yangon Region, Myanmar. Preventive measures to reduce cholesterol levels in the population are therefore needed.

Fatty Acid Profiles of Various Vegetable Oils and the Association between the Use of Palm Oil vs. Peanut Oil and Risk Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases in Yangon Region, Myanmar

“…The participants were sampled to reflect the general population of Yangon. In a 2014 study in Yangon, the age-standardized prevalences of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia were previously reported to be 34.6% and 46.8%, respectively, while the prevalences of diabetes were reported to be 12.1% (urban population) and 7.1% (rural population) [ 17 , 18 , 19 ]. The consumption pattern of oils in the Yangon region was comparable in both survey years.…”

“…This is in line with our findings that palm oil was most commonly used by participants with low educational level and income, among rural dwellers and among women. More than half of the population of Yangon (54%) has an income of <1.90 USD/per day [ 19 ], which may explain the widespread use of palm oil. A study of the consumer preference for vegetable oil in Myanmar in 2011 showed that peanut oil was rated highly regarding taste, aroma, nutrition status, and health benefits; however, it had low affordability [ 32 ].…”

“…To assess the association between the intake of different vegetable oils and risk factors for NCD (body mass index (BMI), waist hip ratio (WHR), blood pressure (BP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG)), we used data from a previous household-based cross-sectional study conducted in the Yangon region between 2013 and 2014, which included 1372 participants between the ages of 25 and 74. The study followed the WHO STEP survey protocol [ 22 ], and its details have been described elsewhere [ 19 , 23 ].…”

“…In the Yangon region of Myanmar, the age-standardized prevalence of diabetes was 12.1% in urban areas and 7.1% in rural areas in 2014 [ 17 ]. The corresponding prevalences of hypertension were 34.5% in urban areas and 34.2% in rural areas [ 18 ], while those of hypercholesterolemia were 50.7% in urban areas and 41.6% in rural areas [ 19 ]. Vegetable oils are essential in the Myanmar diet [ 20 ] (‘Rice, oil, salt and medicine are a man’s basic needs’ is a saying in Myanmar).…”

Effect of hypercholesterolemia alone or combined with hypertension on the degree of coronary artery stenosis in patients with coronary heart disease angina pectoris

“…[ 6 ] Hypercholesterolemia has resulted in 4 million deaths and a disability-adjusted life loss of up to 88.7 million people globally. [ 7 ] Through multiple studies of risk analysis of CHD angina pectoris, HTN is generally regarded as an important risk factor for CHD angina pectoris. [ 8 ] Combined with Gensini scoring system, Coronary angiography (CAG) makes a precise diagnosis of the number, location, scope, and vascular wall of coronary artery stenosis (CAS), [ 9 ] CAG is regarded as the best way to diagnose CHD and the most powerful method of evaluating the degree of CAS.…”