Diet and serum cholesterol levels among the "Black Caribs" of Guatemala.

S ERUM cholesterol levels have been found to be markedly reduced among lower socioeconomic urban groups in Guatemala,13 and the incidence and severity of atherosclerotic heart disease in these people is also very low when coml)ared with that in business and professional persons.45 The people in the rural lower socioeconomic groups in Guatenuala are predominantly Mayan Indian in racial origin while those in the upper income groups are primarily European caucasoid and mestizo. This racial difference is not considered responsible for the findings, however, since similar differences in atherosclerosis are found between racially homnogeneous persons in the upper and lower income groups in Costa Rica . 2 .5 Environmental conditions must, therefore, be responsible; among the environmental variables which have received special attention are dietary differences. In general, the population in the lower socioeconomic groups of this area consumes little fat, and this almost entirely of vegetable origin.23 They also have low intakes of animal protein, vitamin A and riboflavin.6 In contrast, the population in the upper socioeconomic groups in Guatemala consumes a diet relatively higher in fat and in other