Test Your Cholesterol IQ Quiz

Test your cholesterol IQ with the following True or False statements. Click on either True or False to find the correct answer!

1. Since I don't have heart disease, I don't need to be concerned about my cholesterol level. True or False



2. My last cholesterol level was within my goal. This means I do not have to worry about my cholesterol anymore. True or False



3. Eating less saturated fat is the best dietary change I can make to lower my blood cholesterol. True or False



4. I should avoid all fat. True or False



5. Losing weight if I am overweight will help me to lower my blood cholesterol. True or False



6. Exercise can improve blood cholesterol level. True or False

1. Since I don't have heart disease, I don't need to be concerned about my cholesterol level. False - Even in the absence of heart disease, lowering cholesterol levels can prevent a first heart attack. A recent study has shown that people with average cholesterol levels without heart disease benefited from lowering their cholesterol levels by reducing their risk for a first heart attack and other cardiac events. Eating a low-saturated-fat, low-cholesterol diet, being physically active, and controlling weight are the principal steps to lowering cholesterol. Cholesterol-lowering medications may also be needed if these steps do not produce enough cholesterol lowering to reduce significantly the risk for heart disease.

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2. My last cholesterol level was within my goal. This means I do not have to worry about my cholesterol anymore. False - Stopping your treatment quickly returns your cholesterol to the level that existed before the therapy was started. High cholesterol and heart disease are not cured but are only controlled by diet and drug therapy.

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3. Eating less saturated fat is the best dietary change I can make to lower my blood cholesterol. True - The best way to reduce your blood cholesterol level is to choose foods low in saturated fat. Saturated fat raises your blood cholesterol more than anything else you eat. It is found in the greatest amounts in foods from animals, such as fatty cuts of meat, poultry with skin, whole-milk dairy products, lard, and in some vegetable oils like coconut, palm kernel and palm oils. One way to do this is by choosing foods such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grain foods naturally low in saturated fat and fat and high in starch and fiber.

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4. I should avoid all fat. False - Your body needs fat for a variety of functions. Not all dietary fat is bad. However, it is true that some fats are better than others. If you don't already use oil or butter on foods, there is no reason to start. However, if you do add fats to your diet, look for fats and oils that are unsaturated -- either polyunsaturated (safflower, sunflower, corn, and soybean oils) or monounsaturated (olive and canola oils). Unsaturated fats help to lower blood cholesterol when they are substituted for saturated fat. Just be sure to limit the total amount of fats or oils, since even those that are unsaturated are a rich source of calories.

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5. Losing weight if I am overweight will help me to lower my blood cholesterol. True - If you are overweight, losing even a little weight can help to lower LDL-cholesterol. Two steps are key to weight loss: 1.) eat fewer calories (cutting back on fat will really help) and 2.) use more calories by becoming more physically active.

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6. Exercise can improve blood cholesterol level. True - Regular physical activity may reduce your risk for heart disease by: lowering LDL levels, raising HDL levels, lowering blood pressure, lowering triglyceride levels, reducing excess weight, and improving the fitness of your heart and lungs.

Talk with your doctor before starting an activity to be sure you are following a safe program that works for you.

For much more, please visit the following MedicineNet.com areas:

• Cholesterol and The Heart
• Heart Attack Prevention
• Healthy Living Center

(Portions of the above information has been provided with the kind permission of The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-National Institutes Of Health)
Last Editorial Review: 2/1/2005