Background
: Overweight and hyperlipidemia are risk factors for hypertension and cardiovacular disase. Age-related differece in the effects of overweight on cardiovascular risk factor profiles in men could have important implication for disease prevention. Consequently, we reviewed the medical records to assess the relation of age to the hyperlipidemia and coronary heart disease rksk of overweight.

Methods : Data was obtained form 1726 men in Health care center in Young Dong General Hospital on epidemiologic status, smoking, alcohol and laboratory results. Younger group is 816 case and older group is 910 cases.

Results : Older(>45 years) men had higher(P<0.001) hypertension, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, LDL/HDL ratio and glucose. HDL-cholesterol level is not significantly different between the two age groups. Although older men had greater values for several risk factors, overweight(BMI<25.0kg/m²) increased risk factors much more in younger men than older men. In younger men, those with higher BMIs had a greater prevalence, respectively, hypertension(13 vs 31%, P<0.01), hypercholesterolemia(5 vs 14%, P<0.001), hypertriglyceridemia(4 vs 11%, P<0.001), hypercholesterolemia(5 vs 14%, P<0.001), high HDL-cholesterol(8 vs 20%, P<0.001), and high LDL/HDL ratio(4 vs 8%, P<0.001). In contrast, among older men, only the prevalence of hypertension is higher in overweight group. Prevalence of low HDL-cholesterol showed no difference in both age group. As the result of multiple regression of total-cholesterol on age, BMI, alcohol, smoking, and blood pressure, serum cholesterol level was influenced by age(P<0.001), BMI(P<0.001). And HDL-cholesterol was influenced negatively by BMI and smoking, but positively by alcohol(P<0.01).

Conclusion : Data indicate that older men have greater values for serum lipid profile except HDL-cholesterol. But the effect of overweight on lipid profile was greater in younger group than older group. Overweight increase the prevalence of cariovascular risk factors more in younger group. Smoking has the effect to decrease HDL-cholesterol and increase LDL/HDL ratio.