[A comparative study on blood cholesterol and dietary fat intake between Hong Kong and Cantonese children].

Blood cholesterol level in children aged 7 in Hong Kong (4.59mmol/L) was significantly higher than that in Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province (4.16mmol/L). Duplicate meals were collected from 20 children each in Hong Kong and Jiangmen for chemical analysis of fat intake and fatty acid profile. Results showed daily fat intake was 34.7 g for children in Jiangmen, which was about 30% lower than that in Hong Kong (47.6 g). Fatty acid profile in the diet of Jiangmen children showed a significantly higher polyunsaturated fatty acid saturated fatty acid ratio (0.81 vs 0.69) and linoleic acid/myristic acid ratio (20.73 vs 10.91) than that of Hong Kong children. It suggested dietary mode in a society with rapid developing economy and well-to-do life has changed, and it is necessary to prevent from the damage to health, especially the risk of coronary heart disease, caused by over-nutrition, as early as possible.