OBJECTIVE: Portugal has one of the highest incidences of cerebrovascular disease in Europe. We speculated that this could be due to an early setting of the main cardiovascular risk factors in the Portuguese population.
METHODS AND RESULTS: The levels of the main cardiovascular risk factors were assessed in 1001 candidates to a private Health Education Institution (mean age: 19.3+/-3.3 years). Overall, men had a higher body mass index (23.0+/-3.0 vs. 21.5+/-3.0 kg/m2, p<0.001), higher blood pressure levels (124+/-12 and 73+/-7 vs. 116+/-12 and 70+/-7 mm Hg for systolic and diastolic pressure, respectively, p<0.001) and higher triglyceride levels (70+/-41 vs. 59+/-31 mg/dl, p<0.001) than women. Prevalence of obesity, hypertension, smoking and drinking were also higher in men (6%, 15%, 24% and 40% vs. 4%, 4%, 17% and 13% in women, respectively, p<0.01). Conversely, women had higher levels of total cholesterol (174+/-31 vs. 166+/-33 mg/dl, p<0.001), which were due to higher levels of HDL-cholesterol (52+/-1 vs. 45+/-9 mg/dl, p<0.001). Finally, in both genders, obese subjects had significantly higher levels of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and triglycerides than non-obese.
CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors is high among young male Portuguese students and preventive measures should be applied, namely regarding obesity.