[Significance of life style factors for the blood lipids profile in bank employees].

In a study sample of 75 sedentary, non-smoking male bank employees (mean age 41.2 +/- 7.8 years) the relationship between lifestyle characteristics and serum lipid concentrations were examined. According to the mortality statistics of the canton of Zurich, this population is at increased risk for coronary heart disease. Statistical analyses confirmed the predictive character of physical activity for serum lipid levels. A low level of physical activity was associated with significantly higher concentrations of apolipoprotein B and LDL-C (Pearson coefficient of correlation r = -0.38, p < 0.001 and r = -0.35, p < 0.01, respectively). Accumulation of upper body fat (estimated by the waist to hip ratio) revealed to be a better predictor of lipid levels than body mass index and showed highly significant positive correlations with atherogenic lipid fractions. The most pronounced differences were seen for triglyceride levels, where the subgroup of subjects in the lowest tertile of waist-hip ratio showed about 40% lower triglyceride values compared to the highest waist-hip ratio tertile. In a study population of self-selected, non-smoking men, high levels of LDL-C and apolipoprotein B could partially be explained by unfavourable life style characteristics, particularly physical inactivity. The waist-hip ratio, characterizing abdominal fat accumulation, proved to be a good indicator of an atherogenic lipid profile. Measuring waist-hip ratio in medical routine examinations should thus be considered.