The subset of data on southern Thai InterAsia study conducted in 2000 was revisited in order to
document gender and ethnic breakdown of prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD).
Three hundred and seventy-five men and 630 women with overall mean + SD age of 53.2 + 11.7 years were
recruited. Combined gender prevalences were: 21.1% for smoking, 15.5% for drinking, 21.8% for hypertension
(systemic blood pressure >140/90 mmHg), 49.8% for impaired fasting plasma glucose (FPG 110-125 mg/
dl), 9.9% for diabetes mellitus (FPG > 126 mg/dl), 10% for body mass index > 30 kg/m2, 43.5% for large waist
circumference (WC >90 cm in men and > 80 in women), 62.8% for total serum cholesterol (TC), > 200 mg/dl,
38.5% for TC divided by high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) > 5 and 61.6% for low-densitylipoprotein
cholesterol (LDL-C), > 130 mg/dl. After using logistic regression, adjusting the effects of age and
community of residence, women were less likely than men to be smokers, drinkers, or showed impaired FPG
but significantly more likely to have large WC, TC >200 mg/dl and LDL-C > 130 mg/dl. Muslims showed
significantly lower risk for drinking and large WC but higher risk for low HDL-C. The differences require
further research. In conclusion, gender and age have stronger association with various risk factors than
ethnicity in this selected population.

Keywords: Malay-Thai, Chinese-Thai, Lipid