A recent study showed that the annual number of deaths owing to CVD increased from 2.51 million to 3.97 million between 1990 and 2016[2]. CVD has become the leading cause of death in China, particularly in northern China[15]. Dyslipidemia is a well-established risk factor for CVD morbidity and mortality [16]. The prevalence of dyslipidemia increased rapidly from 2002 to 2015[1]. Identifying the epidemiological characteristics and influencing factors of dyslipidemia is an urgent public health priority. Thus, we carried out the present study of serum lipids, the largest in a representative population of Northern China.
In this study, the age-standardized prevalence of dyslipidemia was 31.2%, and the prevalence rate of abnormal lipid levels was 4.3%, 2.4%, 14.7%, and 17.4% for elevated TC, LDL-C, TG, and decreased HDL-C, respectively. A nationwide investigation showed that the prevalence of dyslipidemia was 34.7% among Chinese adults over age 35 years [17], which was higher than the results of the current study. However, compared with several regional studies[18–20], the prevalence of decreased HDL-C and elevated TG in our study were at higher levels. The epidemiological data showed that HDL-C levels were negatively correlated with the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) [21], and elevated TG was commonly associated with increased CVD risk[22]. Therefore, monitoring of HDL-C and TG should be strengthened to prevent the incidence of CVD among adults in northern China.
We found that the prevalence of dyslipidemia generally increased with age. Serum lipid abnormalities were more prevalent among men and participants living in urban regions, especially those under age 55 years. The different types of dyslipidemia (except decreased HDL-C) were more prevalent in postmenopausal women. Previous studies have demonstrated that the prevalence of elevated TC and LDL-C in postmenopausal women is higher than in their male counterparts[23], which is consistent with the findings of our survey. Men may be more susceptible to risk factors when they are younger owing to higher intake of fatty foods, greater exposure to unhealthy lifestyles, and a lack of appropriate health knowledge, resulting in men being more prone to dyslipidemia. Dyslipidemia is more pronounced in older women, perhaps owing to decreased estrogen levels accompanying menopause, which may have an adverse effect on serum lipid levels in postmenopausal women[24]. As is known, dyslipidemia characterized by elevated TC or LDL-C is considered a major risk factor of ASCVD, and lowering LDL-C levels can significantly reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality owing to ASCVD[6, 25]. To enhance the management of dyslipidemia, greater focus is needed for men under age 55 years and postmenopausal women.
We found disparities in lipid abnormalities according to ethnicity. The prevalence of decreased HDL-C, elevated TG, and dyslipidemia was higher in Han than in Mongol participants, and multivariate analysis showed that people with Mongol ethnicity had a lower risk of dyslipidemia. This finding differs from those of previous studies[26.27]. Compared with Han people, individuals with Mongol ethnicity are more inclined to have greater intakes of animal fat and alcohol and to consume less grain[28], factors that are related to CVD risk factors. Whether the lower prevalence of serum lipids among Mongol participants was owing to customs, dietary patterns, or ethnicity-specific metabolic mechanisms requires further exploration.
We identified several factors that were associated with dyslipidemia in our study population. Our results that smoking, obesity, central obesity, hypertension, and diabetes can elevate the risk of dyslipidemia has been confirmed in many previous studies[29, 30]. We also found that current drinkers had a lower risk of dyslipidemia; a similar result was reported by Song[31]. Epidemiological evidence has revealed that moderate alcohol consumption can have beneficial effects on serum lipids, such as elevated HDL-C and decreased LDL-C[32], lowering the TG/HDL-C ratio[33], and that polymorphisms in alcohol-metabolizing enzymes can modify the association between alcohol intake and serum lipids[34], which may reduce the risk of CVD events[35]. However, specific levels of alcohol consumed were lacking in our study; therefore, the influence of drinking on serum lipids must be investigated further. It is recommended that people with chronic diseases or unhealthy lifestyles should be continuously monitored and managed, to effectively control dyslipidemia as much as possible.
There are several potential limitations in our study. First, a cross-sectional design rather than prospective cohort was used; thus, only associations rather than causal relationships could be determined. Second, given a lack of detailed data of dietary, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and family history of dyslipidemia, the associations of these with serum lipids could not be examined in the current study. Furthermore, it is difficult to avoid recall bias and unmeasured confounding owing to collection of information using a questionnaire and measurement.