58% of Irish adults have a higher than recommended level of cholesterol according to results from a nationwide screening programme by Flora pro.activ
A nationwide screening campaign, the Flora pro.activ Cholesterol Challenge, has found that (58%) of Irish adults have higher than the recommended level of cholesterol, which can increase the likelihood of developing heart disease. *1
The Flora pro.activ Cholesterol Challenge involved independent registered nurses visiting towns all over the country and carrying out nearly 1,450 FREE cholesterol checks on members of the public and offering them expert nutritional advice based on their results.
The survey results generated from the screening campaign found that 58% of Irish adults have a cholesterol level greater than 5mmol/l, the maximum number recommended by Irish and International health professionals.
When these results were broken down by gender, 53% of Irish men and a worryingly high 60% of Irish women were found to have higher than the recommended level of cholesterol.
Results were also broken down by age and while those aged 18 to 30 years had lower cholesterol than older age groups, over half (51%) had above the recommended cholesterol level.
As part of the survey, all those tested were asked if they considered themselves to be overweight and almost half (49%) believed that they were. Despite this, 55% of those tested rated their health as ‘satisfactory’ and 41% rated their health as ‘very good’, suggesting a significant discrepancy between perceived health and actual health. Interestingly, only 4% of those tested rated their health as ‘not good’.
43% of all test subjects also said they had a family history of heart disease, which is the number one killer of Irish men and women. *2
These results support Flora’s belief that Irish adults should be more aware of their heart health, by checking their cholesterol levels regularly and managing them if necessary. This includes exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet and consuming the recommended dosages of cholesterol lowering plant sterols to effectively lower cholesterol in the long term.
Flora pro.activ foods contain plant sterols, which are clinically proven to significantly lower bad (LDL) cholesterol by 10% and a further 5% when combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle. Over 45 clinical studies have proven that Flora pro.activ foods significantly lowers cholesterol and the foods are endorsed by the World Heart Federation.
Commenting on the results, Dr Patricia Heavey, nutritionist for Flora pro.activ, said: “The results from this Flora pro.activ screening programme, as part of the Flora pro.activ Cholesterol Challenge, have shown that there is a great need for continual public education on heart health. It is vital that everyone understands the significance of cholesterol and how they can help improve their heart health by choosing a healthier diet and more active lifestyle.”
Sian Jenkins, Brand Manager, Flora, commented: “Flora knows that many people do not take their cholesterol into account when considering their health, but managing your cholesterol is crucial to maintaining a healthy heart and avoiding heart disease the number one killer of Irish people. For this reason, Flora pro.activ launched a free nationwide testing campaign to make it easier for people to find out about their cholesterol number and learn how best to manage it. We hope that this survey will also help to raise awareness of the cholesterol issue in general.”
Visit www.florahearts.ie for further information.