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Women may be able to change diet to improve cholesterol test results

Category: General Health

Women who have received results from a cholesterol test indicating elevated levels of LDL cholesterols may be able to improve future measures by making changes in their nutritional habits.

Researchers at Wake Forest University and Tufts University found that when older women incorporated more whole grains and low-fat items in their diet, they showed improved heart health measures including blood lipid concentrations and other indicators.

They added that while the dietary changes helped to reduce clogging associated with plaques forming on arterial walls, compliance issues often limited the benefits for women who tried the nutrition program.

Dr Roger Clemens, a spokesman for the American Society of Nutritionists, says that the positive benefits found by the researchers at both schools could be used as motivation to improve adherence to the eating plan.

Smaller changes may offer a stepping stone for some people worried about the results of their cholesterol test. Several studies have linked omega-3 fatty acid supplementation with a reduced risk for cardiovascular conditions caused by higher levels of cholesterol.