10 Fast Fact

Topic: Nutrition

Understanding Fats and Cholesterol

1. Cholesterol is the most important risk factor for developing CVD (Cardiovascular Disease). Cholesterol is a lipid soluble compound and is a component of all cells in the body. It enables absorption and transport of fatty acids. There are two main types of cholesterol lipoprotein: low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). LDL is the harmful type of cholesterol that blocks arteries, causing CVD. HDL cholesterol helps to protect against CVD by keeping the arteries clear of blockages

Walker, J. (2013). Reducing cardiovascular disease risk: cholesterol and diet. Nursing Standard, 28(2), 48-55.

2. The four foods that have been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels significantly are soluble fiber (particularly beta-glucan from oats and barley), tree nuts and peanuts, soy foods, and foods fortified with plant stanols and sterols. According to Harland (2012), introducing two or more of these foods into the diet can reduce LDL cholesterol by 5-15%.

Walker, J. (2013). Reducing cardiovascular disease risk: cholesterol and diet. Nursing Standard, 28(2), 48-55.

3. Cholesterol originates from two main sources—predominantly in the liver, and through fat in the food we eat. Cholesterol is packed into particles found in the liver and intestine in a way that it can be transported in the blood and lymphatic fluid. These particles are called lipoprotein—a combination of fat and proteins.

Cholesterol and Heart Disease. (2006). In K. L. Lerner & B. W. Lerner (Eds.), Medicine, Health, and Bioethics: Essential Primary Sources (pp. 131-136). Detroit: Gale.

4. Both the amount of body fat a person carries and its distribution on the body are related to health risk. Many experts feel that the ratio of body fat to total weight is more important than total weight. Healthy ranges for body fat are 15% to 19% for men and 18% to 22% for women. A high percentage of body fat has been associated with increased risk of disease, even when total body weight is normal.

Maesako, Masato. (2012). Diet Control in Preventing High Fat Diet. The Journal of Biological Chemistry.

5. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that 90 million American adults, roughly half the adult population, have elevated cholesterol levels. The causes of high cholesterol may be genetic or hereditary factors in the manufacture of cholesterol by the liver or in fat metabolism, a diet high in saturated fats and trans-fatty acids, obesity, alcoholism, smoking, and lack of exercise.

Culvert, L. L., Wells, K. R., & Odle, T. G. (2006). Cholesterol, High. In K. Krapp & J. Wilson (Eds.), The Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health (Vol. 1, pp. 415-419).