Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors among University Female Students

Abstract

Background: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a main cause of morbidity and mortality globally. High levels of cholesterol are considered a major risk factor of CHD. This study sought to find out the prevalence of high cholesterol levels among Qatar University female students. Methods: Total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol measurements were examined on 275 female students aged 18-26 years (M=21). Each participant completed a questionnaire about age, body mass index (BMI), medical family history, medical conditions and lifestyle. Analysis of data was done using SPSS version 23. Results: Among the 275 volunteers, 12.4% had high TC, 14.9% had low HDL cholesterol and 15.6% had high LDLcholesterol. Also, a positive statistical significance relation was seen between the different cholesterols (TC, LDL and HDL) and the risk factors (family history, BMI, diet and exercises) except for HDL cholesterol and diet which showed no statistical significance relation. Conclusion: The cholesterol levels are within the desirable ranges. Students should maintain their cholesterol levels within those ranges and be aware of the factors that can cause hypercholesterolemia. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a main cause of morbidity and mortality globally. This study sought to find out the prevalence of high cholesterol levels among Qatar University female students. Total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterols measurements were examined on 275 female students aged 18- 26 years (M=21). Each participant completed a self-assessment questionnaire. 12.4% had high TC, 14.9% had low HDL cholesterol and 15.6% had high LDL cholesterol. A positive statistical significance relation was seen between the different cholesterols (TC, LDL and HDL) and the risk factors (family history, BMI, diet and exercises) except for HDL cholesterol and diet which showed no statistical significance relation.