Serum lipid survey and its recent trend in the general Japanese population in 2000.

To determine the recent serum lipid levels and other serum variables in the general Japanese population and trends in their changes over the past 40 years, a nationwide survey of serum lipid levels was conducted in 36 institutes from various districts around Japan in 2000. The total number of subjects was 12,839, aged 4 through 99 years. The mean total cholesterol level was 201 mg/dl; 202 mg/dl in men and 200 mg/dl in women. The mean HDL-cholesterol level was 59 mg/dl; 55 mg/dl in men and 65 mg/dl in women. The mean LDL-cholesterol level was 118 mg/dl; 121 mg/dl in men and 115 mg/dl in women. The mean triglyceride level was 118 mg/dl; 136 mg/dl in men and 92 mg/dl in women. The total cholesterol level slightly increased by 5 mg/dl in 10 years. Although the triglyceride level in women did not change, the triglyceride level in men increased over 10 years, especially in the 30s through 70s age bracket, indicating a possible increase in metabolic syndromes in the future. The present results will become the standard serum lipid level data for the Japanese people, and succeeding 10-year surveys will clarify the trends of lipid levels in this country.