Serum cholesterol level in a typical suburban commercial community in Nigeria.

Forty-one apparently healthy businessmen and -women and an equal number of government workers matched for age and sex underwent serum cholesterol determinations. The mean serum cholesterol levels of businessmen and -women were significantly higher than those of their government worker counterparts (p < 0.001). The marked increase in the serum cholesterol of the business subjects was attributed to their overindulgence and/or eating habits and lack of physical activity. The cardiovascular risk implications of the high cholesterol value and other risk co-factors such as obesity and alcoholism observed among the business subjects are highlighted. We advise that for communities similar to the one described here, public enlightenment programmes about the health benefits of periodic medical assessment and recreational physical activities are necessary. A further comprehensive study of lipid, lipoprotein and other risk factors in these subjects should be encouraged.