Lipids and lipoproteins in new immigrant Ethiopian Jews in Israel

Abstract

In an investigation of lipid levels following a period of deprivation and prolonged travel, 206 male and 272 female Ethiopian Jewish immigrants to Israel were evaluated at the end of 1984. This ethnic group, most of whom are lean persons who had apparently consumed a high simple carbohydrate diet, revealed distinct (cross-sectionally evaluated) age and sex patterns of lipid distribution. Total cholesterol in the Ethiopians resembled that in Israeli-born adolescents or adult resident Israelis at ages 8 years through 20-29 years, but mean levels were considerably lower in Ethiopians at ages 30-39 years through 60 years, where they do not exceed 175 mg/dl for males and 190 mg/dl for females. Mean triglyceride levels were higher for Ethiopian females than in Israeli females up to age range 40-49 years. While the levels in Israelis increase steadily with age, no clear age pattern was discernible in the levels in the Ethiopians (at least cross-sectionally). Among the Ethiopian males, levels were considerably higher than those among Israeli males in childhood and adolescence. In Ethiopian adults, the triglyceride levels appeared to be slightly lower than those in resident Israelis. The Ethiopian immigrants displayed markedly reduced high density cholesterol (38 mg/dl for males, 39 mg/dl for females) compared with levels of between 50 and 53 mg/dl for Israelis at age 8-9 years. These differences diminished with age, until, at around age 20-29 years, mean levels became comparable (around 42 mg/dl for males and 50 mg/dl for females) and remained so at older ages. The distinct lipid patterns in the Ethiopian Jewish immigrants to Israel are subject to ongoing follow-up to investigate the effect of a quasi-western diet and a western lifestyle on this ethnic group.