A data study conducted by Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, one of the largest chains of pathology labs in India, shows that over 6 out of 10 people have reported high levels of LDL cholesterol.
Metropolis has a chain of over 125 labs and 2500+ patient service centers across India and has been providing quality pathology services for the past four decades.
A complete cholesterol test called Lipid Profile is a blood test done to measure the amount of good & bad cholesterol & triglycerides in your body. Total blood cholesterol is a collective term involving estimation of LDL, HDL, VLDL, and Triglycerides.
Some important interpretation from the data analysis
- 54% of the samples tested carry a moderate risk due to low levels of HDL Cholesterol (Good Cholesterol) and yet another alarming finding is that over 35% of the samples tested had very low levels of HDL Cholesterol in Mumbai.
- 48% of the samples tested carry a moderate risk due to low levels of HDL Cholesterol and yet another alarming finding is that over 45% of the samples tested had very low levels of HDL Cholesterol in Chennai.
- 50% of the samples tested carry a moderate risk due to low levels of HDL Cholesterol and yet another alarming finding is that over 40% of the samples tested had very low levels of HDL Cholesterol in Pune.
Among the 30-50 age group
- 25% of samples tested borderline high levels of total cholesterol and 10% of samples tested high levels of total cholesterol in Mumbai and Chennai.
- Over 22% of samples tested borderline high levels for LDL Cholesterol and 10% reported high levels of LDL cholesterol in Chennai.
- Over 36% of samples tested borderline high levels for LDL Cholesterol and 21% reported high levels of LDL cholesterol in Mumbai.
- Over 20% of samples tested borderline high levels for Triglycerides and 22% reported high levels of triglycerides in Chennai.
- Over 17% of samples tested borderline high levels for Triglycerides and 22% reported high levels of triglycerides in Mumbai.
Commenting on the study, Dr. Kirti Chadha, Senior Vice President, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd said, “The prevalence of heart diseases is on the rise in India. If you look at the data, while total cholesterol in most samples is at an optimal level, the LDL-HDL ratio is a cause for concern. Apolipoproteins A1 and B ratio also indicates atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, even if HDL and LDL cholesterol levels are normal.
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A higher level of stress, lack of mental health awareness, sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, and increased consumption of unhealthy food all contribute to elevated levels of cholesterol. As there are no substantial symptoms, a thorough check-up of cholesterol levels regularly is of utmost importance to keep a check on your health.
Lifestyle modifications such as regular exercise, proper diet, timely diagnosis, and treatment can help an individual to maintain optimal cholesterol levels.”
About Cholesterol and Parameters
Cholesterol is a vital chemical present in the body and performs many important functions such as coating the cells of the body, forming the cell membrane, producing certain components called bile acids which aid in the digestion of fats.
Additionally, it performs an imperative role in the production of certain vital nutrients like vitamin D and sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone (steroid hormones).
Elevated levels of cholesterol indicates a risk for heart disease, atherosclerosis, and stroke, and hence estimating blood cholesterol levels is one of the most fundamental and critical tests in routine screening and health check-up.
(In this survey, data analysis of over 1,30,000 samples in Chennai, Data analysis of over 70,000 samples in Pune, Data analysis of over 1,50,000 samples in Mumbai tested from Jan 2019 and Aug 2020)