One in 3 Filipinos has high cholesterol

[Terpe]

In a country where eating is a national passion, one in three persons is at risk for elevated cholesterol levels.

In hopes of addressing this precursor to heart problems, the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) has partnered with food and beverage firm Del Monte in an initiative to spread awareness of the risks of poor eating habits and the benefits of a balanced diet.

Called “Be Smart, Care for your Heart,” the campaign aims to encourage Filipino consumers and major corporations to adopt the program. Del Monte is set to issue a cookbook featuring low-cholesterol dishes this summer.

Latest survey

A 2008 FNRI study on cholesterol levels among Filipinos—the latest of a national nutrition survey that is conducted every five years—showed that 31.3 percent of 7,700 Filipinos polled had “borderline high to high cholesterol levels.”

Of the number, 10.2 percent had confirmed high cholesterol levels of more than 240 mg/dL, while 21.2 percent were borderline at 200 mg/dL to 239 mg/dL, said FNRI senior research scientist Charmaine Duarte who presented the 2008 survey results Tuesday.

Survey respondents between 50 and 59 years had the highest cholesterol levels at 48 percent, said Duarte, while 17 percent of respondents 20 to 29 years old had borderline high to high cholesterol levels.

Simply put, the risk of having elevated cholesterol levels increased with age, the FNRI said.

The incidence, also called hypercholesterolemia, is more common among women, according to Duarte.

Source:-
http://business.inquirer.net/51423/o...gh-cholesterol

[lastlid]

My cholestrol levels are "normal" apparently. I hope the GP didnt mean normal for a Scot....

I put it down to exercise and porridge

[Maria B]

Eeekkk, correct. When I first arrive here & registered myself to GP, I got high in cholesterol GP said, you might be petite but it's genetic....eeekkkk correct again. My father's side. So I have to come again & again for my cholesterol monitoring (blood test taken-ouch). I have to use benecol or any low fat butter, brown bread, red milk everything that is low in fat too. I was scared when GP said that if my cholesterol will not lower down, I will have to maintain tablet... I don't want it. But glad I finally made it. In short, discipline to intakes...

But still naughty, everytime I visit Philippines, I eat cholesterol http://www.pbase.com/japayukid/streetfood not just tasting it. But will have to cleanse again by the time I am back to the UK spank spank spank!

[lastlid]

But still naughty, everytime I visit Philippines, I eat cholesterol

Nohing like a nice bowl of cholesterol each day, eh....

You mentioned benecol. What about yakult or is that different? My wife seems to want to take yakult so I wont get in her way if it is cholestrol reducing.

[lastlid]

Heh. Theres a lot of medically related threads on at the minute. Doc Alan will be knackered.....

[grahamw48]

I wonder if this explains their erm... sex drive ?

[Maria B]

Nohing like a nice bowl of cholesterol each day, eh....

You mentioned benecol. What about yakult or is that different? My wife seems to want to take yakult so I wont get in her way if it is cholestrol reducing.

I luv yakult even during elementary days. But there isn't Yakult light before . It even taste yummier here. It's good for digestive system. It is also good for diabetes while benecol is to lower cholesterol.

[Maria B]

Heh. Theres a lot of medically related threads on at the minute. Doc Alan will be knackered.....

[lastlid]

I wonder if this explains their erm... sex drive ?

What, high cholesterol gives a high sex drive? Sign me up for more cholesterol please....

[grahamw48]

Well, you know what our Filipinas are like .

[Rosie1958]

I've had my cholestrol level checked recently too and it is normal.

From what I've seen, too much fatty meat (especially pork) and processed foods being eaten by our filipino friends

[Doc Alan]

One in three persons with raised cholesterol - if truly representative – is not surprising in the Philippines, where cardiovascular disease ( like the UK ) kills more people each year than any other.
We use mmole / l ( millimole / litre ) – not mg / dl ( milligrams / decilitre ). The 1 in 10 filipinos with high cholesterol ( over 240 mg/dl ) is also high by our standards ( 6.2 mmol/l ). Similarly just over a fifth were “ borderline “ ( 200 mg/dl ) corresponding to 5.2 mmol/l . The AVERAGE total cholesterol level in the UK is 5.5mmol/l ( 213 mg/dl ) for men and 5.6mmol/l ( 217 mg/ dl ) for women.
It's the balance of different types of lipoproteins, rather than the overall total cholesterol level, that matters.
Risk is determined by a combination of factors, including age, gender, family history of heart disease, and whether someone smokes, is overweight, has high blood pressure or diabetes. Preventative measures should be taken if there is a high risk of cardiovascular disease, and to prevent recurrence if they already have it.
Lfestyle should be modified to improve diet, exercise, weight, alcohol consumption, and stopping smoking. There are lipid regulating drugs such as statins, but treatment with them – if at all – needs to be combined with lifestyle changes. These types of drugs may have unpleasant side effects.
The aim is to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol.
( Desirable levels are :-

• Total cholesterol - less than 5.0mmol/l ( 193 mmol / l ).
• LDL cholesterol - less than 3.0mmol/l ( 117 mmol/ l ). For people who have, or are at risk of, coronary heart disease:
• Total cholesterol - less than 4.0mmol/l ( 155 mg/dl ).

• LDL cholesterol - less than 2.0mmol/l. ( 78 mmol / l ) ).

[Terpe]

Great info Alan
It seems we're keeping you very busy

There's some fantastic info here on the forum concerning health. Thank goodness too.

[lastlid]

Yes. Thanks Doc.

Of course, there is a link between high cholesterol and high blood pressure. So if one is taking in a lot of cholesterol through food intake then two pieces of dark chocolate a day wont make much of an impression.

One of the most fascinating things I learnt in 2010 was the link between stress and cholestrerol. That was through my former employer's HR department. They put us all on stress awareness courses.

[Doc Alan]

Yes. Thanks Doc.

Of course, there is a link between high cholesterol and high blood pressure. So if one is taking in a lot of cholesterol through food intake then two pieces of dark chocolate a day wont make much of an impression.

The link is that high cholesterol and high blood pressure are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease. A small amount of chocolate each day will, as you say, be unlikely to make an impression, good or bad, on overall health.

[Doc Alan]

Great info Alan
It seems we're keeping you very busy

There's some fantastic info here on the forum concerning health. Thank goodness too.

Thanks Terpe .
I have a very busy but fulfilling life in retirement . It's my pleasure to contribute to this great forum .

[lastlid]

The link is that high cholesterol and high blood pressure are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease. A small amount of chocolate each day will, as you say, be unlikely to make an impression, good or bad, on overall health.

What I recall was being said, was that whenever our fight or flight mechanism kicks in, the liver generates high levels of cholesterol. So if one is exposed to and reacts to a stressful circumstance then this can lead to higher levels of cholesterol in the body. This was deemed to be of concern to folk who were immersed in stressful situations over significant periods of time. Following on from that, the higher cholesterol levels would then lead to high blood pressure.

The cure here wouldn't be 2 pieces of chocolate daily, but dealing with the root cause of the stress.

If 2 pieces of chocolate daily is going to help reduce blood pressure then I am sure it will be in association with other aspects of healthy eating and healthy lifestyle.

[Doc Alan]

“ High cholesterol “ does not directly “ lead to high blood pressure “. Take a look at what I’ve already said on high blood pressure.
• Cause not known in 95% of cases.
Pressure in arteries depends on how hard the heart pumps, and how much resistance there is in the arteries ; slight narrowing of the arteries increases resistance to blood flow, which increases the blood pressure.
• Various factors probably contribute, such as atheroma / atherosclerosis ( fatty / fibrous deposits in the walls ).
( Atherosclerosis is by far the commonest disease of arteries and is the basis for most cardiovascular disease ( heart attacks, strokes and others ). Risk factors are :-
• Modifiable ( smoking, “ high cholesterol “ – meaning hyperlipidaemia and HDL levels, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, exercise level, alcohol consumption ).
• Hard to modify – personality type, stress.
• Non-modifiable ( age, male sex, family history ).
• Some combinations of risk factors are worse than others.)

[lastlid]

“ High cholesterol “ does not directly “ lead to high blood pressure “.

"If you have a high amount of LDL cholesterol in your blood, it can form fatty deposits in the lining of your arteries (blood vessels). This causes furring and narrowing of the arteries, known as atherosclerosis, which in turn restricts the blood flow and can increase your risk of having heart disease or a stroke."

Maybe I am misreading this but this seems to be saying that it does cause high blood pressure through the furring and narrowing of the arteries and restriction of blood flow?


I have a bit of a background in hydraulics so I kind of follow the idea of restrictions to flow and pressure increases.

The NHS here seem to think that LDL cholesterol will "clog" up the arteries significantly enough to reduce the total flow area across the artery..

[KeithD]

But there isn't Yakult light before . It even taste yummier here. It's good for digestive system. It is also good for diabetes while benecol is to lower cholesterol.

Don't believe everything advertisers tell you, the benefits are so small you wouldn't even notice. The best way to lower cholesterol is not to drink 'magic potions' but stop putting the wrong fat types in your body. As for Yakult .... I'll just say it's marketing magic ... normal cheap yoghurt is just as good. If you really want digestive helping bacteria you can buy it in pill form from health shops, but it's only really any use when you are ill and need to 'reset' your system.

Consuming enough fluids and fiber, being physically active, and controlling stress are also important for good digestive health.

[sars_notd_virus]

Consuming enough fluids and fiber, being physically active, and controlling stress are also important for good digestive health.

true

[lastlid]

..........but stop putting the wrong fat types in your body.

I do agree with this 100%

[Steve.r]

But the foods that are the worst for you are the best tasting right!!!
My mouth is watering right now thinking about lechon and pig skin

[lastlid]

But the foods that are the worst for you are the best tasting right!!!
My mouth is watering right now thinking about lechon and pig skin

[lastlid]

Thats it. We love the taste of fat, salt and sugar.......

[Doc Alan]

Here are the facts again, explained to the best of my knowledge :-
1.Atherosclerosis is a focal accumulation of fat with chronic inflammation and scarring in arteries down to 2 mm in diameter. It causes arterial narrowing and ischaemia ( insufficient blood supply ). Thrombosis ( "clotting " ) of narrowed segments causes infarction ( localised tissue death - such as heart attacks, and brain = stroke ). Blood pressure does not rise to force the blood through. If this happened it could cause heart failure ( the heart being a pump ).
2. Risk factors for causing atherosclerosis include hypertension.
3. Hypertension is raised pressure in any vascular bed, and is usually " systemic " arterial hypertension ( involving arteries to limbs and organs ). We don't know its cause in most cases. Despite this, it's possible to reduce pressure to desirable levels. If one cause was found and treatment was cheap, complications ( such as heart failure, cerebral haemorrhage, eye and kidney disease ) could be further reduced or avoided in millions of hypertensives world-wide. Where the cause IS known this is usually kidney disease as a result of atherosclerosis involving its main artery ( releasing hormones which raise blood pressure ). There are other rarer causes. It's important to recognise them as they may be treatable surgically.
4. We do know lifestyle factors which may contribute to hypertension. Modification of these may lower blood pressure sufficiently to avoid drug treatment. If drugs are needed, the various types available work in different ways. A single antihypertensive is often not adequate and others are usually added in a step-wise manner until control is achieved.

[lastlid]

Oh.I will cease forthwith. You wont hear anymore from me on medically related matters.