[Prevalence and awareness of dyslipidemia among overweight and obese population in Beijing community]

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and percentage of dyslipidemia awareness among overweight and obese residents in Beijing community.

Method: Cross-sectional data of 9786 subjects from capital cholesterol education and intervention program (CCEIP) were analyzed. Participants were divided into 3 groups (Normal, overweight and obese) based on body mass index (BMI). Blood lipid levels were determined from overnight fasting plasma samples. Questionnaires were collected to estimate awareness of dyslipidemia.

Result: (1) Blood lipids levels were positively correlated with BMI (r = 0.17, 0.18, -0.26 and 0.35 between total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride and BMI, respectively, all P < 0.01). (2) Prevalence of dyslipidemia increased in proportion with increase of BMI. The age-standardized prevalence of dyslipidemia of normal, overweight and obese population was 23. 9%, 43.3% and 65.4% in men and 17.9%, 29.2% and 42.3% in women. Dyslipidemia was more frequent in obese men than obese women (65.4% vs. 42.3%, P < 0.01). However, this gender difference decreased gradually with the increase of age. Risk of hypercholesterolemia, high LDL-C, low HDL-C and hypertriglyceridemia in obese men was 1.6, 2.9, 2.4, and 2.7 folders higher than in the normal body weight men and was 1.3, 1.9, 1.7 and 2.1 folders higher in obese women than in normal body weight women. (3) Unexpectedly, the percentage of dyslipidemia awareness in overweight and obese population was not significantly higher than in the normal body weight group (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: The prevalence of dyslipidemia was high while the percentage of dyslipidemia awareness was rather low in obese population. Aggressive intervention should be taken in obese population, especially in the young obese men, to effectively reduce dyslipidemia.