Never too early: Half of young Filipinos have borderline high cholesterol

MANILA, Philippines - Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) recently conducted a study about the prevailing cases of high cholesterol among Filipinos and found out that 46.9 percent of Filipinos aged 20 and up have borderline to high cholesterol. This means one in every two has it and they are not even aware of it.

“The rising prevalence of high total cholesterol today is alarming. We need to make people more aware of the situation and do something about it,” Dr. Imelda Angeles-Agdeppa, assistant scientist from the FNRI said in a statement. “Having high cholesterol levels means being subject to greater risk of heart disease and other illnesses. A switch to a healthier lifestyle is a major step in keeping these diseases at bay,” she added.

Being young at age, these people tend to lose track of their lifestyle choices – staying up late, eating fatty foods and working in the wee hours – making them a candidate for having high levels of cholesterol.

High levels of cholesterol are linked to the top non-communicable disease (NCD) killers in the Philippines, which include diabetes, chronic respiratory disease and cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular diseases alone account for 170,000 deaths in the Philippines each year, making it the leading cause of mortality among Filipinos. 

In response to this, Dr. Michael Baccay, the president of The Philippine Association of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons (PATACSI) advises that everyone should be aware of the consequences of a poor lifestyle and should start adapting healthier choices.

“To best manage cholesterol, it is still important to have a healthy regimen which includes a healthy diet and constant exercise,” he said at the launch of Del Monte’s Heart Smart 100% Pineapple Juice and Orange Juice Drink held last July 8 at the Crowne Plaza.

A diet consisting of fruits and vegetables, whole grain, fat-free and low-fat milk products, fish, legumes (beans), and lean skinless meats can help prevent spikes in cholesterol.

He also recommends taking in food or drinks rich in reducol, which is an ingredient that is clinically proven to help lower cholesterol. Studies have shown that plant sterols and stanols, the main components of Reducol, significantly lowered bad cholesterol levels among clinical trial participants.

A daily intake of the Heart Smart 100% supplies your much needed reducol as it is the only Reducol-fortified food product or drink, containing 1g of US-FDA per serving.

PATACSI, the specialty organization of all certified thoracic and cardiovascular surgeons in the Philippines, is partnering and supporting Del Monte in this advocacy to increase awareness and help prevent the continuous rise of cholesterol in the country. - Alixandra Caole Vila