An ecological study of determinants of coronary heart disease rates: a comparison of Czech, Bavarian and Israeli men

Abstract

Czech men had high levels of blood pressure, triglycerides, fibrinogen and D-dimer but many other traditional risk factors, as well as indicators of metabolic disorders and vitamins A and E, did not differ between the study samples. The low levels of carotenoids and high concentrations of homocysteine in Czech men seem to reflect their low dietary intakes of fruit and vegetables. The results provide indirect support for the importance of dietary factors in the East-West morbidity and mortality divide.