Research Highlights:
DALLAS, March 8, 2024 — Young American Indians, ages 15-39, had cholesterol levels more than two times higher than the general U.S. population, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association , an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.
The researchers noted that previous research has estimated that approximately 25% of adolescents and approximately 30% of young adults in the U.S. have high cholesterol.
“This is the first study of total cholesterol levels in American Indian adolescents and young adults, and we were surprised by the levels of high cholesterol, especially in adolescents,” said principal investigator Ying Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., an associate professor of biostatistics and director of the Center for American Indian Health Research at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. “The high cholesterol in this population will likely lead to subtle damage in blood vessels and to premature heart disease. There is a need for care including early screening and treatment for high cholesterol levels.”
Researchers reviewed data from the Strong Heart Family Study — a study of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases among tribal communities in central Arizona, southwest Oklahoma, North Dakota and South Dakota. High cholesterol and its role in the development of heart disease and stroke was assessed among 1,440 American Indian teens and adults in the study.
The analysis found:
“It is our hope that our study’s results attract attention within the health care community,” Zhang said. “It would be beneficial for American Indian youth and young adults to get recommendations from their physicians about regularly checking cholesterol levels and following the AHA’s Life’s Essential 8 to help improve their cardiovascular health and prevent heart disease and stroke.”
Study details, background or design:
Study limitations include that the results may only be generalizable to other populations with a high prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors, such as Type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, high cholesterol and abdominal obesity, similar to American Indian populations.
According to the Association’s 2020 scientific statement, Cardiovascular Health in American Indians and Alaska Natives , heart disease rates are noted as approximately 50% higher among the 5.2 million Americans who self-identify as American Indian and/or Alaska Native, compared to white Americans. In addition, Type 2 diabetes affects American Indian and Alaska Native adults at three times the rate of white adults in the U.S., and American Indian and Alaska Native adults develop cardiovascular diseases at younger ages in comparison to white adults.
Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the manuscript. The Strong Heart Study has been funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, a division of the National Institutes of Health, for more than three decades.
Studies published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific Association programs and events. The Association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and biotech companies, device manufacturers and health insurance providers and the Association’s overall financial information are available here .
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Journal of the American Heart Association
Dyslipidemia in American Indian Adolescents and Young Adults: Strong Heart Family Study