Download What is a good cholesterol level?

What is a good cholesterol level?
The average fasting blood cholesterol level in people living in the UK is 5.7mmol/l (mmol/l is short for
millimoles per litre of blood). The amount of cholesterol present in the blood ranges from 3.6 to 7.8
mmol/litre. A level above 6 mmol/litre is regarded as high, and is a risk factor for arterial disease. Too
much emphasis should never be placed on a single reading, but if more than one measurement shows
a raised level, the HDL:LDL ratio is the next and more valuable test, which can be carried out in a
hospital laboratory at the request of your doctor.
-
Your blood cholesterol can be measured from a small blood sample.
It will indicate which category level you fall into:
Ideal: cholesterol is less than 5mm
Mildly high: between 5 and 6.4 mm
Moderately high: 6.5 to 7.8 mm
Very high: above 7.8 mm
The UK average is 5.7 mm.
The significance of a high cholesterol level
A high level is one of many risk factors for coronary heart disease. On its own, a mildly elevated level is
of little concern, but if it exists where other risk factors are present such as smoking, high blood
pressure, lack of exercise, stress, overweight and diabetes, then the cholesterol level becomes much
more important as all risk factors are then multiplied.
Causes of high cholesterol
The commonest causes in the UK are too much saturated fat in the diet, lack of physical exercise and
an inherited tendency to produce too much cholesterol called familial hypercholesterolaemia. The
recommended average daily cholesterol intake is up to 300 milligrams. Research has shown that a diet
rich in animal fats tends to raise the levels of cholesterol and the related fats and lipids in the blood.
Cholesterol is found in foods that come from animals, such as:
-
Meats
Poultry
Fish
Seafood
Dairy products.
Foods from plants (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds) do not contain cholesterol.
When saturated solid fats are added to the diet, the amount of cholesterol in the blood increases, but
when liquid, unsaturated fats or oils (particularly the polyunsaturated type) replace solid fats in the diet,
the amount of cholesterol decreases. Foods high in unsaturated fats include olive oil and oily fish.
Lowering cholesterol levels
Cut down on all fat, especially saturated fat, and eat more starchy foods. Opt for oily fish which helps
raise healthy HDL cholesterol. Diet alone can reduce cholesterol by between 5-10 per cent. Monounsaturated fats such as those found in olive, walnut, rapeseed oil and avocado lower LDL cholesterol
without lowering HDL cholesterol.