Serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations of Finns and Finnish Lapps. I. Basic data.

Serum cholesterol and triglyceride (TG) concentrations have been studied in six Finnish population groups in South and East Finland and in one group of Finnish Lapps in North Finland. Altogether 11626 Finns, aged 15 or above and 828 Lapps of all ages were studied. Serum cholesterol and TG concentrations of the Lapp children were higher in the age group 0--4 than in the age groups 5-9 and 10-14. Mean serum cholesterol of girls aged 0-9 was higher than that of the boys. The sex and age dependence of mean lipid values in the adults were in several respect similar to those observed in other industrialized populations. The serum cholesterol mean rose with age to reach a maximum in age group 50-59 in men, in age group 60-69 in women. Among the adults, women had lower cholesterol means than men only in age groups 30-39 and 40-49. The serum TG distribution was markedly skewed, and logarithmic transformation brought it closer to normal. Maximal log(TG) values (greater than 12 hours' fast) were attained by men aged 30-39 and by women aged 60-69. Men had considerably higher TG levels than women in middle-aged groups. Of all the sex and age groups studied, the men aged 30-39 had the most skewed cholesterol frequency distribution. Up to this age variability in men's cholesterol values were also increased, as reflected by an increasing S.D. As to women the cholesterol S.D. increased until the age of 60-69. In all the age groups above 14 years, the variability of TG values was larger in men than in women, but it was not age dependent.