Don't wait to check on cholesterol level: Expert

JAKARTA (JP): People should start monitoring their cholesterol level as early as the age of 20, and earlier if they have relatives who suffer from coronary heart disease, a medical expert said.

People begin accumulating cholesterol in childhood, Dewi M. Liusvia of the Prodia clinical laboratory said on Friday.

Dewi, the laboratory's research and development manager, told a seminar on the subject that people above 40 should have cholesterol tests twice a year.

One test would not be sufficient because the cholesterol level fluctuates between 5 and 10 percent on a normal day.

"The second examination should be held two months after the first," Dewi suggested.

If the difference between cholesterol levels of the first and second does not exceed 30 milligrams per deciliters, the tests should be sufficient. If the difference exceeds 30 points, a third test should be carried out, she said.

A cholesterol level of 200 is still acceptable, Dewi said. Above that level, the hazards to health grow.

People whose cholesterol level is 240 are four times more likely to suffer heart disease than those with 180, she said.

Heart disease has become the number one killer disease in Indonesia, accounting for more than 16.5 percent of all deaths.

Many factors contribute to people's cholesterol level: metabolism, genetics, diet habits, environment, lifestyle, and other diseases, such as kidney failure, diabetes and liver trouble.

Dewi had three simple pieces of advice: regular workouts, no smoking and weight control.

She suggested more fish and chicken instead of red meat, and more rice, beans, cereals, vegetables and fruits.

Other items to avoid include non-fat milk, butter, coconut oil, high cholesterol foods -- such as intestines, tripe, eggs, shrimps and avocados.

"If people fail to bring down their cholesterol level after six months of strict diet, they should consult their doctor," she said. (ste)