US consumers acting on cholesterol concerns - survey
In a poll of 10,023 primarily female Americans, 65 percent of the respondents said they had their cholesterol levels checked every five years as recommended by the American Heart Association (AHA)
The QualityHealth.com-produced findings, which coincide with the end of national cholesterol awareness month, also found growing consumer interest in cholesterol reducing attitudes and products.
High cholesterol fears
High cholesterol levels, known as hypercholesterolaemia, have been linked to a number of health problems, particularly cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is the number one killer on both sides of the Atlantic.
The survey suggests that the message has been taken to heart by the surveyed American consumers, with the majority of the 22 percent of the respondents that have been recently diagnosed with high cholesterol looking for healthier lifestyle solutions.
As a result of these concerns, 88 percent of those diagnosed said they were looking at methods to reduce their cholesterol levels, be it through nutrition, supplement intake or exercise, stated the publication.
Solution search
These potential solutions ranged from just over a quarter of respondents saying they were adopting a low fat diet to allay their concerns, to a small number of Americans taking up red wine drinking.
In terms of the other concerned respondents, 22 percent said they were taking up exercise or improving an existing regime, while the same proportion had turned to oat-based products for their supposed benefits in offsetting cholesterol.
An additional 15 percent of those surveyed who were looking for solutions to their hypercholesterolaemia admitted to turning to supplements such as flax seed or fish oil, and even garlic extract. The final 10 per cent remained unspecific about their cholesterol-cutting plans saying they had adopted ‘other’ methods.
The publisher claimed that despite the optimistic action being taken by the survey group in terms of high cholesterol levels, there generally remained a low understanding of LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, compared to the “good” orHDL variant andtriglyceride levels.
“Only 26 percent of survey respondents said they know their LDL “bad” cholesterol levels, 26 percent said they know their HDL “good” cholesterol levels and only 22 percent said they know their triglyceride levels,” according to the survey publisher.
Method
In terms of gender breakdown, 87 percent of subjects surveyed where female, while the majority were firmly between the 35 and 54 year old age bracket.
The AHA said that particularly in woman, it encouraged setting aside around half an hour of exercise a day, be it running or walking, in addition to healthy snacking as vital steps in battling cholesterol build up.
