Fifty-seven subjects from 14 families participated in a study designed to investigate similarities and differences between parents and children residing with them relative to their serum lipid levels and dietary lipid intakes. To participate, at least one of the parents needed to have a serum total cholesterol of at least 240 mg/dL. Fasting blood samples obtained from the participants were analyzed for serum total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, and VLDL-C levels. Anthropometric measurements and blood pressure readings also were taken. Dietary records, questionnaires on lifestyle, health habits, health history, and nutrition knowledge were completed by the participants. Correlation coefficients between serum total cholesterol and dietary cholesterol intakes of the fathers were 0.66 (p = 0.01) in all 14 families and 0.64 (p = 0.05) in the 11 families in which at least one parent had a family history of CHD. The values of the correlation coefficients of HDL-C and the intake of dietary cholesterol of the children for the 14 families and the 11 families were -0.36 (p = 0.07) and -0.55 (p = 0.01) respectively. A significant correlation was found between the dietary pattern of the parents and that of their children. The following correlation coefficients were found for the five families in which both parents had a fmaily history of CHD: 0.65 (p = 0.02) for total fat, 0.79 (p = 0.002) for saturated fat , and 0.59 (p = 0.04) for cholesterol. / Master of Science