High Cholesterol

Elevated cholesterol levels are more likely to be present in overweight people. But a number of studies indicate that for most people, moderate weight loss decreases the amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" kind that clogs your arteries; conversely, it may raise the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the "good" kind that cleans out your cardiovascular system. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, LDL cholesterol levels above 160 (under 130 is desirable) put you at high risk for suffering heart disease, heart attack or, indirectly, stroke. At the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis, Dr. Harold Seim, professor of family medicine, studied 41 overweight adults in a six-week program diet and exercise. These people were still about 20 percent above their ideal weight after the program. Yet among those who lost around ten pounds, total cholesterol came down 16 percent, on average, and LDL cholesterol dropped 12 percent.