Abstract
Objective. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations of lifestyle medical advice and non-HDL cholesterol control of a nationally representative US sample of adults with hypercholesterolemia by race/ethnicity. Methods. Data were collected by appending sociodemographic, anthropometric, and laboratory data from two cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Survey (2007-2008 and 2009-2010). This study acquired data from male and female adults aged ≥ 20 years (N = 11,577), classified as either Mexican American (MA), (n = 2173), other Hispanic (OH) (n = 1298), Black non-Hispanic (BNH) (n = 2349), or White non-Hispanic (WNH) (n = 5737). Results. Minorities were more likely to report having received dietary, weight management, and exercise recommendations by healthcare professionals than WNH, adjusting for confounders. Approximately 80% of those receiving medical advice followed the recommendation, regardless of race/ethnicity. Of those who received medical advice, reporting “currently controlling or losing weight” was associated with lower non-HDL cholesterol. BNH who reported “currently controlling or losing weight” had higher non-HDL cholesterol than WNH who reported following the advice. Conclusion. The results suggest that current methods of communicating lifestyle advice may not be adequate across race/ethnicity and that a change in perspective and delivery of medical recommendations for persons with hypercholesterolemia is needed.
Highlights
Cholesterol, the functional unit of numerous, essential hormones and steroids in the human body, circulates in blood
Hypercholesterolemia individually diagnosed based on high LDL-C and concurrence of other cardiovascular disease risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and a family history of premature coronary heart disease [3]
All data used for this study were approved by the research ethics board and publically available from appended 2-year cycles of datasets from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2008 and 2009-2010 [6]
Summary
Cholesterol, the functional unit of numerous, essential hormones and steroids in the human body, circulates in blood. Even though cholesterol is necessary for body function, elevated levels can result in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Levels of serum cholesterol less than 200 mg/dL are considered in the healthy, normal range; borderline cholesterol is 200–239 mg/dL; elevated blood cholesterol, 240 mg/dL or above, is classified as high cholesterol [1]. Despite the decrease in LDL-C since the 1960s, hypercholesterolemia, a key risk factor of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease, currently affects nearly half of the US adult population [2]. Hypercholesterolemia is a metabolic disorder characterized by high levels of serum cholesterol, LDL-C. Hypercholesterolemia individually diagnosed based on high LDL-C and concurrence of other cardiovascular disease risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and a family history of premature coronary heart disease [3]. The side effects of statins, a commonly prescribed cholesterol-lowing medication, may outweigh their benefit for otherwise healthy adults [4]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
