Study of cardiovascular disease risk factors among rural schoolchildren in Sousse, Tunisia

Abstract

We undertook an epidemiological survey based on a representative sample of 793 rural schoolchildren in Sousse, Tunisia to assess the prevalence of certain cardiovascular disease risk factors. The prevalence of hypertension (11.2%), hypercholesterolaemia (2.9%), hypertriglyceridaemia (1.0%), high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (0.6%) and obesity (4.0%) showed no statistically significant difference based on sex. However, smoking (4%) showed a significant gender difference (boys: 7.3%; girls 1.2%). The relatively low cardiovascular disease risk factor profile of Tunisian children needs to be encouraged through to adulthood. Thus a school programme of heart health promotion should be established.