Public health aspects of optimal serum lipid-lipoprotein levels

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of public health aspects of optimal serum lipid–lipoprotein levels. It discusses why optimal serum lipid–lipoprotein levels are a major public health concern. The concern with the public health aspects of optimal serum lipid–lipoprotein levels stems from the key role of serum lipids–lipoproteins in the etiology and pathogenesis of the atherosclerotic diseases, especially the premature coronary heart disease (CHD) epidemic in the western industrialized countries. This is the key epidemic disease of modern times in western industrialized countries, particularly the United States. In these countries, in the era of their full development and economic maturity, irrespective of social system, it is the great white plague, replacing tuberculosis, which was the massive epidemic disease of the infancy and childhood of modern urban society. The chapter further reviews the societal roots of epidemic disease, the need and rationale for the primary prevention of the atherosclerotic diseases, and scientific evidence on the key role of rich diet and nonoptimal serum lipids–lipoproteins in the etiology and pathogenesis of epidemic atherosclerotic disease. Improved nutrition is the central public health issue regarding further progress toward optimal serum lipid–lipoprotein levels.