The distribution of serum cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and triglycerides (TG), and the prevalence of risk-considered values were studied in school children from Concepción, Chile (6 to 15 years old; 326 boys, 226 girls). The mean TC levels were 146 mg/dl for boys and 154 mg/dl for girls but 9.1% of the sampled children had TC values between 175 and 190 mg/dl, and 10% were over 190 mg/dl. Mean LDL-C was 83 mg/dl in boys and 89 mg/dl in girls; 6% of samples showed values between 130 and 159 mg/dl, and 1.3% over 160 mg/dl. Mean HDL-C was 46 mg/dl for boys and 48 mg/dl for girls. The mean TG values were 80 mg/dl for boys and 93 mg/dl for girls.