International Journal of Epidemiology, Vol 26, 1203-1213, Copyright © 1997 by International Epidemiological Association
T Namekata, DE Moore, K Suzuki, M Mori, RH Knopp, SM Marcovina, EB Perrin, DA Hughes, S Hatano and C Hayashi
BACKGROUND: It has been previously shown that Japanese Americans in Seattle
have significantly higher cholesterol levels than native Japanese. The
present study examines the association of biological and lifestyle factors
with plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels among Japanese Americans (JA) and
native Japanese (NJ) to determine if these associations are consistent
between these high and low cholesterol populations. METHODS: Study samples
consisted of 710 JA male and 728 JA female volunteers living in the Seattle
area and a random sample of 3833 NJ male urban workers who participated in
parallel cardiovascular disease screening and lifestyle surveys for
1989-1994. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the
association of lifestyle and biological factors with lipid and lipoprotein
levels. RESULTS: Alcohol consumption was positively and linearly associated
with high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and negatively
associated with both low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and
the ratio of total cholesterol (TC)/HDL-C (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001)
among JA males and JA females and NJ males. Current smoking habit was
observed to be negatively associated with HDL-C levels and positively with
TC/HDL-C ratio and log TG levels (logarithmic transformation of
triglyceride values) (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001) among all three groups.
Body mass index (BMI) was negatively associated with HDL-C levels and
positively associated with log TG and TC/HDL-C ratio among all three groups
(P < 0.05 to P < 0.001). Moderate alcohol consumption was negatively
associated with log TG levels among JA males and females (P < 0.05),
whereas heavy alcohol consumption was positively associated with log TG
levels in NJ males (P < 0.001). Smoking was positively associated with
TC and LDL-C levels (P < 0.05) among JA males, whereas a negative
association (P < 0.05) was observed in NJ males. CONCLUSION: Overall,
the fitted models were consistent between JA males and females and NJ males
with the exception of smoking on TC and LDL-C. The results suggest that
moderate alcohol consumption favourably influences lipid profiles in both
high and low cholesterol populations. The results also indicate that light
alcohol consumption is associated with decreased triglyceride levels,
whereas heavy alcohol consumption is associated with increased triglyceride
levels.
ARTICLES
Biological and lifestyle factors, and lipid and lipoprotein levels among Japanese Americans in Seattle and Japanese men in Japan
Nikkei Disease Prevention Center, Seattle, WA 98144, USA.
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