Relationship between serum antioxidants and lipids among rural and urban populations

Abstract

The association of serum antioxidatns and lipids was studied in 350 urban individuals with an age range of 40-76 years, in comparison with a control rural sample of equal size. Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) activity was found to be significantly higher in urban population when compared to rural population. Urban population were characterised by elevated levels of serum cholesterol (SC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) and triglycerides (TG) in comparison with rural population. In urban females both tocopherol (T) and GPx were negatively related with age. The serum lipid levels were found to be increased with age in urban population when compared to rural population. Further the correlation coefficients revealed that LDLC positively (.285:P<.05), and TG inversely (-.512:P<.05) related to ascorbic acid (AA), and an inverse association of SC (-.625:P<.05), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) (-.369:P<.05) and LDLC (-.532:P<.05) with T in urban population. In rural population GPx shown a good positive correlation with lipid levels. The results of this study revealed that accumulation of lipids with unaltered antioxidants may be the consequence of urbanization. © 1992 Association of Clinical Biochemists of India.