SUMMARY
Lipid profile of Chinese immigrants living in Costa Rica
The lipid profile and food pattern of 50 Chinese immigrants living in San José, Costa Rica were studied during 1999. The results showed that 35% of the immigrants had high levels of total cholesterol (³ 5,16 mmol/L) and 51% had high concentrations of LDL-Cholesterol (³ 2,84 mmol/L). Moreover, 36% of them had high levels of triglycerides (> 1,69 mmol/L) and only the 15% had low concentrations of HDL-cholesterol (£ 0,90 mmol/L). The ratio of men with high levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides and low levels of HDL-cholesterol was larger that the one in women; although this difference was not significant. 41% of the studied population presented Castelli’s Indexes (TC/HDL-C) above 4,5. In general, around 80% of the Chinese immigrants consume vegetables 5-6 times/week and 50% consume fruits with the same frequency. A high percentage of the immigrants eat food with animal protein more than 3 times/week and around 23% eat frequently snacks and fast foods. Our data suggest that the Chinese immigrants still keep some characteristics of their nutritional culture. Nevertheless, they have changed their food pattern to a more atherogenic one. It’s important that nutritionists and other health professionals evaluate in detail the factors associated with the change in the food pattern of the immigrants, in order to avoid an increase in the rates of morbi-mortality of coronary disease in this group of population.

Key words: Chinese, immigrants, cholesterol, lipid, lipoproteins, Costa Rica, food pattern.

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