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Desirable (MG/DL) Borderline (MG/DL) High Risk (MG/DL) Total Cholesterol LDL-cholesterol HDL-cholesterol TG

For adults, total blood cholesterol levels should be below 200 mg/dL to reduce cardiovascular disease risk, with levels of 200-239 mg/dL considered borderline and above 240 mg/dL indicating high risk. The American Heart Association recommends dietary guidelines to manage cholesterol, including limiting saturated and trans fats while increasing healthy fats. Regular cholesterol testing is advised starting at age 20, and lifestyle changes or medication may be necessary for those with high levels.

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20 views1 page

Desirable (MG/DL) Borderline (MG/DL) High Risk (MG/DL) Total Cholesterol LDL-cholesterol HDL-cholesterol TG

For adults, total blood cholesterol levels should be below 200 mg/dL to reduce cardiovascular disease risk, with levels of 200-239 mg/dL considered borderline and above 240 mg/dL indicating high risk. The American Heart Association recommends dietary guidelines to manage cholesterol, including limiting saturated and trans fats while increasing healthy fats. Regular cholesterol testing is advised starting at age 20, and lifestyle changes or medication may be necessary for those with high levels.

Uploaded by

enatomi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What are the guidelines for cholesterol levels?

For adults, total blood cholesterol below 200 mg/dL is desirable, because these levels are
associated with a relatively low risk of cardiovascular disease. Levels in the range of 200–239
mg/dL are considered “borderline,” and total cholesterol levels above 240 mg/dL are associated
with high risk and the need for treatment. Cardiovascular disease risk is much greater at serum
cholesterol levels above 200–239 mg/dL due to elevations in LDL-cholesterol.

What are the current diagnostic values for serum lipids?1

Desirable (mg/dL) Borderline (mg/dL) High risk (mg/dL)


Total cholesterol <200 200–239 >240
LDL-cholesterol <130, but <100 optimal 130–159 >160
<40 for men
>60, but 40–59 normal
HDL-cholesterol range <35
<50 for women
TG <150 150–199 >200

The American Heart Association has several recommendations for Americans 2 years and older, to
reduce CVD risk:4

• Eating between 25 and 35 percent of total daily calories as fats from foods like fish, nuts
and vegetable oils (not tropical);
• Limiting saturated fat to no more than 7 percent of total calorie intake;
• Consuming less than 1 percent of total calories as trans fats;
• The majority of fats consumed should be monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
A physician should be consulted in order to treat each individual in regard to cholesterol levels.
It is recommended that blood cholesterol levels be tested every 5 years after the age of 20. If
blood cholesterol is found to be high, dietary measures can be taken to try to reduce the levels. If
after several months dietary modifications have minimal impact on the serum cholesterol levels, a
physician may prescribe a cholesterol-lowering drug, particularly if there are other risk factors or
symptoms of CVD.1

How can HDL-cholesterol be increased?


Excess body weight and cigarette smoking are associated
with low HDL-cholesterol levels. Exercise can help raise HDL-
cholesterol.9 The exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous; just
walking a mile or two or even gardening several times a week
can help.4

What is the total fat, saturated fat, polyunsaturated and


monounsaturated content of some common foods?10
Since the dietary intake of fat, saturated fat, polyunsaturated
and monounsaturated can influence the risk of cardiovascular
disease, Table 2 includes values for each of these categories.4,10

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