Lipid Profiles of Apparently Health Inhabitants of a Metropolitan City in South-East Nigeria: Setting Local Reference Values

Background: Differences in nutritional intakes of different regions and countries have been found to influence the nutritional indices of such areas. These, in turn, influence the blood levels of many biochemical parameters.Aim: This study was aimed to investigate the lipid profiles of apparently healthy adults of a metropolitan city in south eastern part of Nigeria, which can be used as the reference values of these parameters in the area.Methods: A total of 400 participants, evenly distributed in sexes and age groups, were recruited for the study. Serum levels of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, very-low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides were determined by spectrophotometric methods and the results were analysed using GraphPad Prism 10.6.Results: Results showed that there were no significant changes in the levels of the parameters when compared with the recommended reference values.Also, there were no significant differences between the levels got from males when compared with the levels got from females. However, the results showed significant positive correlation between all the parameters and age, except for high-density cholesterol.Conclusion: Though the ranges obtained from this study are relatively lower than the previously established values, the positive correlation of the values with ageimplies possible predisposition to cardiovascular diseases, possibly later in adult age. These results will help clinicians to have better diagnosis, management and prognosis of cardiovascular diseases.