The study demonstrates significant geographic variations in lipid profiles, with Eastern populations (China, Korea) exhibiting lower total cholesterol and apolipoprotein B levels compared to a Western population (Belgium).
Serum cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels were measured in an urban and a rural population of the People's Republic of China and compared with cholesterol values obtained in Belgium and in the Republic of Korea, with use of the same methodology. Total cholesterol levels were markedly lower in the People's Republic of China than in Belgium and generally lower than in Korea, both in male and female subjects. However, the differences in HDL cholesterol levels among the three populations were small in males and only significantly higher in Belgium in the age classes below 34 years. In women of all age groups, HDL cholesterol values were significantly higher in Belgium than in China and Korea. Total cholesterol levels below 100 mg/dl were found in the People's Republic of China in about 2% of the participants. Apolipoprotein B was significantly lower, and the apolipoprotein A1/B ratio was significantly higher, in China and Korea compared to Belgium.
Kesteloot et al. (1985) studied this question.