For years, researchers and doctors have been searching for a culprit behind the epidemic of high cholesterol and heart disease in the United States. Unfortunately, the American diet has long been a prime suspect.
Scientific evidence continues to highlight the role of diet in elevated blood cholesterol and consequently in the development and progression of coronary heart disease. That evidence also shows that perhaps no other substances have as great an influence on your blood-cholesterol level -- and your risk of developing coronary heart disease -- as saturated fat and, to a lesser extent, trans fat and dietary cholesterol.
Cutting down on calories is a good way to fight cholesterol.
It is not surprising, then, that doctors consider diet therapy to be the first line of defense against high blood-cholesterol levels. Indeed, even with the advent of more effective lipid-lowering drugs, diet modification holds center stage. Drug therapy is considered only when diet therapy has failed to achieve sufficient lowering of blood cholesterol or when aggressive treatment is needed for existing coronary heart disease. Moreover, even when medication is prescribed, diet therapy must be continued.
Hundreds of different diets have been promoted for weight loss, and with so many options available, finding one that will help you lose weight but that's also good for your heart can seem daunting. In reality, there are just a few general types of diets, but because marketers use different names to promote them, it can be confusing.
However, the importance of dietary changes is documented. Find out what researchers learned in the STARS study on the next page.
For more information on cholesterol, see:
Causes of High Cholesterol: Diet and DNA are the main sources of cholesterol. Learn why the numbers might be high in your case.
How to Lower Cholesterol: Like many conditions, eating right and exercising will control cholesterol. Learn what that means for you.
Cholesterol Levels: We all know there's "good" and "bad" cholesterol. Find out why you need more of one kind of cholesterol and less of the other.
How Cholesterol Works: Cholesterol is essential to the body. Find out why we need it and how much is too much.
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.