Blood Cholesterol Level

• What does it mean?
• What is cholesterol?
• How do I prevent heart disease?
• Where can I get my cholesterol level checked?
• Where can I learn more?

What Does It Mean?

If your blood cholesterol is already below 200 mg/dl, you will want to keep it in this desirable range as you get older.  This is important because beginning at age 20, cholesterol levels tend to increase by about 40 mg/dl during the next 20-30 years.  Provided that your eating or exercise patterns remain "healthy", you may be able to wait 5 years before having another blood cholesterol screen.

If your cholesterol level is

• borderline (200-239 mg/dl) or
• high (greater than 240 mg/dl),

Please make an appointment with a health center medical practitioner in order to discuss these results, evaluate any other risk factors, and begin an initial plan for reducing your cholesterol level. The cholesterol level may need to be repeated to confirm an elevated result.  Your medical practitioner may also want to do a lipo-protein analysis.  The test looks at how much of the cholesterol is carried by low-density lipo-protein (the "bad" cholesterol), compared to high density lipo-protein (the "good" cholesterol).  Remember! Any level above 200 mg/dl may cause long term health problems for your heart.

For ideas on how to keep your cholesterol levels low for the rest of your life, please visit the Health Promotion office in the University Health Center. 

What is Cholesterol and How Can It Cause Heart Disease?

Cholesterol is a waxy life-sustaining substance which plays an essential role in building cell membranes and sex hormones, and is an important component of bile, which aids digestion.

Unfortunately, problems may begin if we have too much cholesterol in our blood stream. The culprit is the low density lipo-proteins (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol, which normally carries up to 80% of the blood's total cholesterol. The excess cholesterol can deposit on the inside linings of the arteries (often the coronary arteries), and cause a condition called atherosclerosis. This hard, sludge-like deposit can narrow the artery, allowing clots to form and causing reduction in the blood flow or complete block. Complete obstruction of the coronary arteries leads to death of the heart muscle, while narrowing can cause chronic intermittent chest pain. 

What Can I Do to Prevent Heart Disease?

The good news is that as a young adult you have a large degree of control over your future cardiovascular health. There is good evidence that if you lower your cholesterol, you can prevent heart disease.

To do this, you should try to limit your total fat intake to 30% of your total calories and lower the saturated fat intake while using more polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats. Saturated fats are fats that are solid at room temperature and are found in meat and dairy foods.

General dietary guidelines suggest using more fish, de-skinned chicken and turkey, pasta, beans, peas, potatoes, and whole grain breads. The Health Center's Nutritionist or a Peer Health Educator can discuss with you in greater detail a food selection which meets your needs and can lower cholesterol.

Exercise may also reduce heart risk as it may increase the high density lipo-proteins (HDL), the "good" cholesterol. HDL may act like biological vacuum cleaners helping to remove excess cholesterol from the blood stream. An increase in physical activities when accompanied by weight loss can cause a rise in HDL. Thirty minutes of continuous exercise 3-5 times a week in which the heart rate is elevated to 75% of maximum may be required to obtain this effect.

Cholesterol Screening at Your University Health Center

Your University Health Center offers free cholesterol screening to all registered students on Tuesdays 9:30- 11:30am during the academic year.  You do not need an appointment to meet with the Nutritionist, Kristen Olmos, during the above times. Stop by the Nutritionist's office, located in Room 243 of the Health Center building, to request a free cholesterol screen.

For More Information

To make an appointment to see a medical practitioner at the University Health Center, call 346-2770.

The Health Promotion Department of the Health Center provides individual counseling on diet and life-style modifications that may lower your cholesterol level.  For an appointment with a nutritionist, call 346-2974 during the academic year.