Private MD News

Most patients readily change their diets after receiving unhealthy cholesterol test results

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

When a person receives an unhealthy cholesterol test, it is often necessary for them to make certain lifestyle changes to improve their health. New evidence suggests that many patients may not need much prodding to make these changes.

Researchers from the University of Toronto wanted to test how often a patient with high cholesterol would need to be warned by their doctor about the dangers of their condition before adopting a recommended healthy diet.

For the study, one half of a group of individuals with unhealthy cholesterol received two consultations about their health within a six-month period, while the other half received seven. The results showed that both sets of participants improved their diet to a similar degree. Additionally, they both experienced roughly equal reductions in cholesterol levels.

The researchers said the findings show that people could be more prepared to improve their lifestyles following unhealthy cholesterol test results than previously thought. This means that doctors may be able to spend less time with each patient, which could reduce healthcare costs across the board.