Serumcholesterolnøgdin hjá Føroyingum: Fyribils rannsókn og hugleiðingar um æviskeið manna, æðrakálking og matsiðir

Abstract

A definition of the notion o£ life span is given, and reflexions on factors of importance rising the life span in a socity. It is emphasized that the single man in spite of all protecting measures is able to live only a limited span of years. Degenerative processes will lead to old age and death of the individual. The maximum life time beyond which human life does not exist will hardly exceed 115 years. There is no reason to believe that this maximum life time has varied within historical time.

Statements of men who have attained to an even higher must be taken with some reservation. In earlier centuries the registration of birth was not trustworthy, and the memory of the individual often failed. It has not been proved that »Gele-Royal« and »H-3 (procainhydrochloride) « lengthen life-time of man. In Western Europe the individual lives in such protecting surroundings that the conditions are present for attaining the maximum life-time. When some people are trying to find an elexir o£ life I think it is because man whishes to live an eternal life on earth and not forgetting it is good business to make such an elexir.

If you accept a restricted life time, the man of science must confine himself to look for the causes of inevitable degenerative processes in organs with advancing ages and to prevent profylactically these processes from injuring the individual too early. Different hypotheses are set up and scientists are occupied with these problems because the diseases in question (arteriosclerosis of the coronaries) are nowadays increasing especially among young men in all the western world. Scientists
have tried to find connection with habits of smoking, eating, and exaggerated intake of alcohol, which are nearly connected with livingstandard.

The forced mode of life in the western world, which enormously stress the individual, have also been in the searchlight. Then the author briefly describes the pathologic-anatomical transformations in arteriosclerosis, especially affecting the coronaries.
The observations of Keys10.11 are described in details, especially his observations made on Japanese living in Japan, Hawaii, and California.

The Japanese living in California consume more food rich in animal fats than Japanese living in Hawaii ( 4 0% against 20°/o). In Japan the inhabitants have a diminutive intake of animal fats. The fat in the food is due to plant oils (10°/o of the calorie-intake). The most important difference between animal-fats and plant-oil are the contents of saturated fatty acids in the former and unsaturated ones in the latter. It is emphasized that fish, products of fish, meat, and whale-blubber contain
unsaturated fatty acids. The level of serumcholesterol is of importance in arteriosclerosis. Prominent investigators have demonstrated that unsaturated fatty acids make a fall in the level of serumcholesterol and it is possible that intake of unsaturated fatty acids protects against arteriosclerosis, but it has not yet been proved.

ln Faroe Islands the population have other habits of eating than in other western countries, and arteriosclerosis in the coronaries are seldom among the inhabitants. Therefore the author has examined the level of serumcholesterol in a small part of the population. 200 analysis have been performed. The results are presented tabularly. The level of serumcholesterol is about 40—50 mg °/o lower than in a corresponding part of the Danish population. But you cannot draw general reflexions because of the small number of people. But it is of great importance to investigate the question thoroughly, for which reason
the author has projected a larger investigation. These investigations are of interest as well to the scientists as to the Faroe Islands, as Faroe Islands are self-sufficient as to fish, products of fish, meat of pilot whales and whale-blubber. The question is therefore of interest from a social point of view. It is high time to do it, before old habits of eating in Faroe Islands are fading away.