Aim: to describe the differences in plasma lipid profiles of 4 (four) Indonesian ethnic groups, i.e., Minangkabau, Sundanese, Javanese and Buginese.
Methods: this cross sectional population study was consisted of adults aged 18 years and older. Lipid profile was assessed by collecting fasting blood samples among all the four ethnic groups. Sub samples of those 4 groups of ethnicity were randomly selected from a total sample respondents from Padang, Bandung,Yogyakarta and Makasar, according to sample size requirement. The required sample size was from 150 to 300 respondents. Interview was used to collect personal identity, general information and socio-economic data of the respondents. Lipid profile was assessed by using two methods: The first method of assessing lipid profile was carried out in each Regional Health Office laboratory, while the second method of assessing lipid profile was carried out in Wageningen, Netherlands. The result of lipid profiles using these two methods were analyzed using paired t-test. Data entry, processing and analyses were performed using EPI-INFO program (version 6), Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for Windows version 10.0.
Results: Minangkabau ethnic women, aged more than 40 years old had the highest mean plasma total cholesterol (209.77 mg/dl) and LDL cholesterol (146.02 mg/dl) and the highest proportion of prevalence dyslipidemia based on category risk level of total and LDL cholesterol. Based on HDL plasma cholesterol risk level, they were among all the four ethnic groups. Sundanese ethnic men, less than 40 years old have the lowest mean plasma HDL cholesterol (36.79 mg/dl) and have highest proportion of dyslipidemia.
Conclusion: older group of Minangkabau ethnic women have higher risk toward dyslipidemia based on plasma total and LDL cholesterol and younger group of Sundanese ethnic men have probability toward risk of dyslipidemia based on HDL level.