Lack of cholesterol awareness

19th September 2011 - Millions of people in the UK are increasing their risk of heart disease, the UK’s biggest killer,  by failing to take simple steps to lower their cholesterol, according to new research carried out to coincide with National Cholesterol Week (19th - 25th September).

Cholesterol is a fatty substance known as a lipid and most of the cholesterol in the body is made in the liver. Cholesterol is vital for the normal functioning of the body. However, an excessively high level of lipids in your blood can have a serious effect on your health as it increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Even though the survey revealed that almost one in ten people worry about having a heart attack only 2% named high cholesterol as their biggest health concern.

HEART UK

According to the cholesterol charity, HEART UK, two thirds of people in the UK have raised cholesterol and over 120,000  have a form of inherited high cholesterol called Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) which can cause premature death.

The charity, along with Hovis Hearty Oats, tested people on their knowledge and concerns about high cholesterol and found that despite years of health warnings, huge numbers have not been tested for it, are not overly worried about it and don't know how diet can reduce it.

• More than 40% wrongly thought that high cholesterol was caused by drinking too much alcohol, although in Belfast it was as low as 24%
• Almost 60% didn't know you can inherit the condition
• More than 40% of people have never had a cholesterol check

Top tips

Despite years of education it seems millions of people don't know what foods are good and bad when it comes to cholesterol levels.

The research, carried out nationwide in August, included 1177 UK adults.

Only half of all those surveyed correctly identified that oats, being rich in soluble fibre, are an easy and affordable way to lower harmful cholesterol levels. 

Only a third of those surveyed knew that spreads fortified with plant sterols could help maintain healthy cholesterol levels, even after years of massive marketing campaigns by the companies who make them. Some people wrongly thought butter could lower cholesterol.

HEART UK Chief Executive, Jules Payne, said in a press release: "HEART UK is passionate about helping people with raised cholesterol and the results of this survey underline the challenges we continue to face about the public’s misunderstanding of the condition and the simple changes that can save their life.

"Younger people in particular don’t think that raised cholesterol or heart disease can affect them and sadly we see too many cases of younger people who are afflicted by the condition. National Cholesterol Week gives us an opportunity to remind people that getting their cholesterol level checked may well save their life."

HEART UK has some simple everyday cholesterol lowering tips:

• Replace animal fats with vegetable fats 
• Include two or more slices of 50% oat bread at breakfast or lunch
• Start the day with a bowl of oat based cereal such as porridge, muesli or instant oats
• Keep a  hand full of unsalted almonds, walnuts, pecans or peanuts for snacks
• Eat foods (such as spreads, milk, yoghurt, cheese) fortified with plant sterols and stanols at mealtimes
• Make one of your five-a-day a portion of beans, peas or lentils
• Indulge in soya dairy alternatives or include vegetable proteins such as tofu and Quorn more often.