Research

Increased body mass and depressive symptomatology are associated with hypercholesterolemia, among elderly individuals; results from the MEDIS study

Stefanos Tyrovolas¹ , Christos Lionis² , Akis Zeimbekis³ , Vassiliki Bountziouka¹ , Mary Micheli¹ , Alexia Katsarou¹ , Natassa Papairakleous¹ , George Metallinos¹ , Kornilia Makri² , Evangelos Polychronopoulos¹ and Demosthenes B Panagiotakos¹

¹  Department of Nutrition Science – Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece

²  School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece

³  Health Center of Kalloni, General Hospital of Mitilini, Mitilini, Greece

author email corresponding author email

Lipids in Health and Disease 2009, 8:10doi:10.1186/1476-511X-8-10

Published:	30 March 2009

Abstract

Background

Hypercholesterolemia is one of the most important factors causing cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of the present work was to evaluate the relationships between socio-demographic, clinical, lifestyle and depression status and the presence of hypercholesterolemia, among elderly individuals without known CVD.

Methods

During 2005–2007, 1190 elderly (aged 65 to 100 years) men and women (from Cyprus, Mitilini, Samothraki, Cephalonia, Crete, Lemnos, Corfu and Zakynthos) were enrolled. Socio-demographic, clinical and lifestyle factors were assessed through standard procedures. Symptoms of depression were evaluated using the short-form of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS, range 0–15). Dietary habits were assessed through a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Hypercholesterolemia was defined as total serum cholesterol > 200 mg/dL or use of lipids lowering medication.

Results

44.6% of males and 61.9% of females had hypercholesterolemia (p < 0.001). Only, 63% of hypercholesterolemic participants were under special diet or pharmaceutical treatment. Hypercholisterolemic individuals had higher prevalence of obesity (43% vs. 25%), hypertension (76% vs. 57%) and diabetes (25% vs. 17%) compared with normal participants (p < 0.001). Furthermore, hypercholisterolemic participants showed higher depression levels (p = 0.002). After adjusting for various confounders, GDS score and BMI correlated with 13% (95%CI 0.98–1.30) and 14% (95%CI 0.99–1.31) higher likelihood of having hypercholesterolemia.

Conclusion

A considerable proportion of our elderly sample had hypercholesterolemia, while 1/3 of them were untreated. Furthermore, presence of hypercholesterolemia was correlated with depressive symptomatology and increased BMI.