Purpose: To study the lipid profile and its relation with other risk factors for coronary heart disease in a population of metallurgic workers in São Bernardo do Campo, SP.
Methods: In 1966 employees were determined: lipid profile after 12h fasting, height and weight and they answered a questionnaire about other risk factors. Diabetic and hypertensive were excluded, remaining 1586 cases, 1384 males, mean age 34. The variables of the lipid profile were related with other risk factors (sex, age, smoking, body mass index, physical activity at work and at leisure time) and alcohol intake.
Results: Five hundred and eighty people (36.6%) had total cholesterol > 200mg/dl, 104 (6.4%) triglycerides > 250mg/dl, 273 (17.2%) HDL-cholesterol < 35mg/dl and 579 (36.9%) LDL-cholesterol > 130mg/dl, levels considered ideals for the different lipid variables. The different relations between lipid levels and the other variable analysed: age, sex, body mass index, smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity at work and leisure time were described.
Conclusion: The frequency of lipid abnormalities is high in the assessed population. For primary prevention, a strategy has to be taken to modify this picture.