Assessment of lipid profile in university workers: a cross-sectional study with recommendations for preventing cardiovascular disease outcomes

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63434/30286999.148

Keywords:

Cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, risk factors, personalized recommendations, prevention, workers

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) represent a significant health and economic burden to health systems. Dyslipidemia plays a crucial role in their development; however, there are few specific recommendations for mild lipid profile alterations in individuals not receiving pharmacological treatment.

Objective: This study aims to identify risk factors and develop a personalized recommendation algorithm to reduce these risks in university workers.

Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted using data from 309 university workers who participated in a cardiovascular prevention program. Information was collected from August 20 to September 25, 2024, and included anthropometric measurements, vital signs, laboratory tests, and lifestyle habits. The results were interpreted based on guidelines from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA). A literature review was also conducted to integrate strategies into a personalized recommendation algorithm.

Results:  Of the total participants, 28.16% were men and 71.84% were women. A total of 39.8% were classified as overweight, and 10.67% as having grade I obesity. Furthermore, 19.74% had elevated LDL cholesterol levels, and 28.47% had high triglycerides. Literature suggests that improving sleep patterns and consuming diets rich in unsaturated fatty acids and soluble fiber may reduce these risks.

Conclusions: Personalized interventions are essential for reducing cardiovascular risk in working populations. A system of individualized recommendations could facilitate lifestyle changes, prevent the progression of dyslipidemia, and lower the incidence of CVD among university workers.

Author Biographies

  • Valentina Velasco-Muñoz, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana

    Médica interna. Facultad de Medicina de la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia.

  • Sofía Silva-Ortiz, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana

    Médica interna. Facultad de Medicina de la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia

  • Nicolás Rodríguez-Fula, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana

    Médico interno. Facultad de Medicina de la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia

  • Francisco Palencia-Sánchez, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana

    Médico. Ph. D. en Salud Pública. Docente de la Facultad de Medicina de la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia

References

1. Lopez EO, Ballard BD, Jan A. Cardiovascular Disease. StatPearls. 2023 August 22.

2. World Health Organization. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). 2021.l https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds)

3. Pedro-Botet J, Freixa R, Tamarit JJ, López-Miranda J, Fernández-Olmo R, Muñiz-Grijalvo O, et al. Strategies to Improve Cardiovascular Health and Treat Dyslipidemia in Spain. Expert Insights Project. Clínica e Investigación en Arteriosclerosis. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arteri.2024.08.007

4. Yusuf PS, Hawken S, Ôunpuu S, Dans T, Avezum A, Lanas F, et al. Effect of Potentially Modifiable Risk Factors Associated with Myocardial Infarction in 52 Countries (the INTERHEART Study): A Case-Control Study. Lance. 2004;364(9438):937–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(04)17018-9

5. Alshuweishi Y, Almufarrih AA, Abudawood A, Alfayez D, Alkhowaiter AY, AlSudais H, et al. Patterns of Lipid Abnormalities in Obesity: A Comparative Analysis in Normoglycemic and Prediabetic Obese Individuals. J Pers Med. 2024;14(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm14090980

6. Du Z, Qin Y. Dyslipidemia and Cardiovascular Disease: Current Knowledge, Existing Challenges, and New Opportunities for Management Strategies. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2023;12(1):363. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12010363

7. Pirillo A, Casula M, Olmastroni E, Norata GD, Catapano AL. Global epidemiology of dyslipidaemias. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2021;18(10):689–700. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-021-00541-4

8. Hulsegge G, Spijkerman AMW, Van Der Schouw YT, Bakker SJL, Gansevoort RT, Smit HA, et al. Trajectories of metabolic risk factors and biochemical markers before the onset of cardiovascular disease - The Doetinchem cohort study. PLoS One. 2016;11(5). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0155978

9. Liu X, Mai J, Rao X, Zhuo Q, Guo C, Gao X, et al. Adverse trends of cardiovascular risk factors among low-risk populations (1983-1994) - A cohort study of workers and farmers in Guangzhou, China. BMC Public Health. 2011;11. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-931

10. Wiesner M, Pfeifer D. Health recommender systems: Concepts, requirements, technical basics, and challenges. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2014;11(3):2580–607. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph110302580

11. Cai Y, Yu F, Kumar M, Gladney R, Mostafa J. Health Recommender Systems Development, Usage, and Evaluation from 2010 to 2022: A Scoping Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215115

12. Mach F, Baigent C, Catapano AL, Koskina KC, Casula M, Badimon L, et al. 2019 ESC/EAS guidelines for managing dyslipidaemias: Lipid modification to reduce cardiovascular risk. Atherosclerosis. 2019;290: 140–205. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz455

13. American Diabetes Association. Standards of Care in Diabetes - 2024. The journal of clinical and applied research and education. 2024;47. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc24-S002

14. McEvoy JW, McCarthy CP, Bruno RM, Brouwers S, Canavan MD, Ceconi C, et al. 2024 ESC Guidelines for the management of elevated blood pressure and hypertension: Developed by the task force on the management of elevated blood pressure and hypertension of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and endorsed by the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) and the European Stroke Organisation (ESO). Eur Heart J. 2024;45(38):3912–4018. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehae178

15. Wang L, Li J, Du Y, Sun T, Na L, Wang Z. The Relationship Between Sleep Onset Time and Cardiometabolic Biomarkers in Chinese Communities: A Cross-Sectional Study. BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-08516-9

16. Schoeneck M, Iggman D. The effects of foods on LDL cholesterol levels: A systematic review of the accumulated evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases. 2021;31(5):1325–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2020.12.032

17. Siri PW, Krauss RM. Influence of Dietary Carbohydrate and Fat on LDL and HDL Particle Distributions. 2005. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-005-0062-9

18. Harland JI. Food combinations for cholesterol lowering. Nutrition Research Reviews. 2012 (25); 249–66. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954422412000170

19. Dong T, Guo M, Zhang P, Sun G, Chen B. The effects of low-carbohydrate diets on cardiovascular risk factors: A meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2020;15(1). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0225348

20. Rideout TC, Marinangeli CPF, Harding SV. Triglyceride-lowering response to plant sterol and stanol consumption. J AOAC Int. 2015;98(3):707–15. https://doi.org/10.5740/jaoacint.SGERideout.

21. Mazaheri-Tehrani S, Amir P, Ostadsharif N, Shekarian A, Mahshad V et al. Serum Selenium Levels and Lipid Profile: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-024-04365-4

22. Alhazmi N. The Effectiveness of Physical Exercise in Reducing Common Risk Factors of Atherosclerosis: A Systematic Review. Cell Physiol Biochem. 2024;58(5):571–83. https://doi.org/10.33594/000000732

23. Mann S, Beedie C, Jimenez A. Differential effects of aerobic exercise, resistance training, and combined exercise modalities on cholesterol and the lipid profile: review, synthesis, and recommendations. Sports Medicine. 2014 (44); 211–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-013-0110-5.

24. Prabhakaran B, Dowling EA, David Branch J, Swain DP, Leutholtz BC, Prabhakaran A, et al. Effect of 14 weeks of resistance training on lipid profile and body fat percentage in premenopausal women. Br J Sports Med. 1999 (33). https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.33.3.190

25. Lira FS, Uchida MC, Zanchi NE, Gualano B, Martins E, Caperuto EC, et al. Low and moderate-intensity, rather than high-intensity, strength exercise induces benefits regarding plasma lipid profile. Diabetol Metab Syndr. 2010;2(1):31. https://doi.org/10.1186/1758-5996-2-31

Downloads

Published

2025-12-22

Issue

Section

Salud de los trabajadores

How to Cite

Assessment of lipid profile in university workers: a cross-sectional study with recommendations for preventing cardiovascular disease outcomes. (2025). Salud, Trabajo Y Sostenibilidad (Consejo Colombiano De Seguridad), 2(2), 105-120. https://doi.org/10.63434/30286999.148