Apolipoprotein E (apo-E) allele and genotype frequencies were evaluated in offspring with positive (MI-offspring) and negative (control-offspring) parental history of myocardial infarction (MI). The apo-E allele frequencies in MI- and control-offspring were as follows: epsilon2: 9.04 and 2.08% (p < 0.02), epsilon3: 84.04 and 87.5%, epsilon4: 6.91 and 10.41%, respectively. The frequencies of the E2-genotypes were significantly lower in offspring of controls (4.2%, 17.0%, respectively, p < 0.03). The epsilon2-allele is associated with raised plasma triglyceride concentrations in subjects on a diet high in saturated fat. We therefore hypothesize that offspring carrying an epsilon2-allele are predisposed to develop disturbance of plasma triglyceride metabolism when exposed to a traditional Slovak high-fat diet and/or weight gain, resulting in altered lipid levels and increased predisposition to atherosclerosis.