HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN-CHOLESTEROL - DETERMINING HYGIENIC FACTORS FOR INTERVENTION

Current guidelines of the Adult Treatment Panel on High-Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol (HDL-C) emphasize the protective effect of HDL-C in reducing one's risk for coronary heart disease and recommend that individuals with serum HDL-C levels below 35 mg/dL utilize hygienic means to raise them. A cross-sectional study was performed to examine the relationship of the hygienic factors obesity (measured by percent body fat and body mass index), smoking, and aerobic exercise to HDL-C. The sample consisting of 1701 male employees of a large aerospace hardware assembly plant, were evaluated by health risk appraisal and anthropometric measurement. Regression analysis revealed a significant negative relationship Between body mass index, percent body fat, age, smoking and the level of HDL-C in the blood. Alcohol consumption was directly related to HDL-C, and Whites had a lower HDL-C than all other races combined. Aerobic exercise was not found to be significantly related to HDL-C. A model (multiple R(2) = 1136) consisting of age, race, alcohol consumption smoking and body mass index fit the data well. These findings justify weight management and smoking cessation interventions for raising HDL-C. However, the role of aerobic exercise was not supported in this study as a means of raising HDL-C. Future studies should use maximum oxygen consumption as a measure of aerobic capacity, which may be a better indicator of aerobic exercise level. The role of medication, and genetic and dietary factors in HDL-C management should also be explored Although findings from this study support smoking cessation and weight management interventions, longitudinal research is needed to determine the most effective strategy for HDL-C management.