Abstract
Introduction: Laboratory and anthropometric parameters for the assessment of lipid metabolism disorders are important for atherogenesis and the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. Material and Methods: The study was designed as a prospective longitudinal study, meant to assess the risk of cardiovascular disease, which included initial measurement of lipid status, CRP, and BMI, and repeated measurements after the DASH diet and exercise. It was conducted on a sample of 60 female respondents. Results: Following the WHO categorization of BMI, the study found that 62% of respondents were overweight, 26% were obese, and only 12% of respondents were at ideal body weight. After the DASH diet and exercise program, the average value of BMI M = 27.02 was established. Analyzing the values of the CASTELLI 1 index in 95.9% of respondents, high values of M = 5.3 were observed, which indicates a high risk of CVD. The results of the study indicate that the average value of cholesterol, triglycerides; LDL-C significantly reduced after two months of adherence to the DASH diet and exercise. The help of Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient indicated the existence of a positive relationship between the CASTELLI 1 index and total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL-C. CRP had a high value (M = 10 mg/L) in the initial analysis, while after the program the CRP value decreased to (M = 4 mg/L), and a significant negative correlation (p <0.01) was observed between CRP and HDL-C, indicating that HDL-C value as a protective lipoprotein for blood vessels increased and CRP decreased after two months of DASH diet and exercise. Conclusion: With this research, we aim to draw attention to the importance of promoting healthy lifestyles and creating adequate risk assessment models with a well-developed strategy that will include anthropometric, laboratory and other multidisciplinary aspects to combat cardiovascular disease.

Key words: cardiovascular risk, lipids, BMI, CRP