Men born between two dates are being warned they need to take urgent action to avoid the ‘silent killer’ they don’t even know they’ve got. A new study has found that almost a quarter of men under 30 and 41% of those aged 30 to 39 need to improve their cholesterol levels.
That’s according to the findings of a new study by Forth, which analysed 20,000 blood test results from across the UK. Forth assessed the data from the thousands of blood test results, segmenting by age and gender and found that, amongst 18 to 29-year-old men, over 23% revealed cholesterol levels that require improvement. This figure rose to 41% for men in their thirties – meaning anyone born between 1986 and 1995 needs to get their cholesterol levels checked and consider if they need to change their lifestyle.
Clinical Director at Forth, Dr Thom Phillips, believes that cholesterol in young men is something we need to be talking about, commenting: “We associate cholesterol problems with older men. However, almost a quarter of the youngest adults in the male population could benefit from improving their cholesterol levels. This can often be achieved by ensuring an active lifestyle, eating a high-fibre diet with restricted amounts of unhealthy fats and sugars, plus eating healthier fats”
He tells us that cholesterol in young men is a really significant risk factor in serious heart problems later in life, adding: “By the time men reach their 30s, not all that far off half of them need to improve their cholesterol levels. Problematic cholesterol levels at this relatively young age is a real risk indicator for heart problems later in life, so getting on top of that early is imperative.”
High cholesterol can lead to a number of health problems, including heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease and is sometimes called a ‘silent killer’ because mostly it has no symptoms until a serious problem arises.
It’s mainly caused by eating fatty food, not exercising enough, being overweight, smoking and drinking alcohol. It can also run in families. People can lower their cholesterol by eating healthily and getting more exercise. Some people also need to take medicine such as statins, as Mr Titchmarsh does. Too much cholesterol can block your blood vessels. It makes you more likely to have heart problems or a stroke. You can only find out if you have it from a blood test.
According to nutritional scientist Tim Spector, to lower cholesterol, people should focus on eating a diverse diet rich in fibre, including plenty of vegetables like onions, garlic, cabbage, and broccoli, which contain compounds like sulforaphane that can positively impact cholesterol levels.
He also advises prioritising fermented foods to support a healthy gut microbiome, and generally avoid highly processed foods and excessive saturated fats; consider incorporating small changes to your cooking routine like adding onions and garlic to dishes before cooking to maximize their benefits.
The British Heart Foundation says too much saturated fat in your diet can raise your cholesterol levels, but a healthy, balanced diet can help lower them. Swapping saturated fats for unsaturated fats and eating more fibre can make a big difference to your cholesterol level.
Unsaturated fats
Unsaturated fats in foods like vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, avocado and oily fish are healthy fats that can help maintain healthy blood cholesterol levels. Try these swaps to help you reduce your saturated fat intake:
- swapping butter to vegetable oil spreads like sunflower, olive or rapeseed oil spreads
- switching whole milk to skimmed milk
- using natural yogurt instead of sour cream or double cream
- replacing regular mince with leaner, lower fat options
- swapping red or processed meat for fish, turkey or chicken without the skin, or plant-based proteins such as lentils, soya or Quorn
- switching your crisps for unsalted nuts or seeds
- using reduced fat cheese instead of regular cheese
- ordering less takeaways. Instead try our healthy fakeaway recipes for delicious heart-healthy options.
For more information on lowering cholesterol click here.