Dieting Blamed For Rise in Cholesterol

Scientists claim a dieting craze in Sweden is behind a shock rise in cholesterol levels that could be making people vulnerable to heart disease.

The worrying link was discovered after a 25-year study put the focus on at diet and heart disease risk factors in the north of the country. It found an unexpected rise in general cholesterol levels after people living there switched to greater consumption of fats in  2004, reversing earlier trends. 

At that time there was a hugely popular diet launched, which was similar to the Atkins Diet, which led to an explosion in the popularity of low carbohydrate/high fat (LCHF) diets.

This diet stripped out sugars and starch but increased protein and boosted the amount of fats, including saturated fat.

One the leading supporters of the new diet was Dr Annika Dahlqvist. A poll last year suggested that 25 per cent of all Swedes had adopted an LCHF diet in some form. Of those, about 5% had changed their eating habits. 

A leading Swedish website, the Diet Doctor, hailed the change as a  "Swedish low carb revolution". It was claimed that shops ran out of butter at the height of the craze. 

The study into problems with heart disease came after a high incidence of the problem in northern Sweden. Scientists analysed data  between 1986 and 2010. 

At first there was a reduction in cholesterol levels throughout the 1990s thanks to a campaign at the time to improve food labelling and dietary advice. Blood cholesterol levels remained roughly the same until 2007, but then shot up.  In 2010 the average cholesterol level for men was around 5.5 millimolesper litre of blood, and for women slightly less. This was despite a significant increase in the number of people taking cholesterol-lowering drugs.

Professor Ingegerd Johansson, from the University of Umea, who led the research published in Nutrition Journal, said: "The association between nutrition and health is complex. It involves specific food components, interactions among those food components, and interactions with genetic factors and individual needs. While low carbohydrate/high fat diets may help short-term weight loss, these results of this Swedish study demonstrate that long-term weight loss is not maintained and that this diet increases blood cholesterol, which has a major impact on risk of cardiovascular disease."

What Is the Meaning of Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure (BP) measures the pressure within the blood vessels and arteries. There are two significant numbers related to blood pressure. The first is the systolic, and the second is the diastolic.

Diastolic/Systolic

• The pressure as the heart pushes blood into the arteries is called the diastolic. The systolic pressure is the pressure created as the arteries resist the blood flow.

Factors That Can Affect BP

• Blood pressure can change depending on whether a person is lying down or standing up. Physical activity and emotional state affect blood pressure.

The Numbers

• A reading of 120 over 80 or less constitutes normal blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association. A reading of 120 to 139 over 80 to 89 constitutes pre-hypertension, and a reading of 140 over 90 or higher is high blood pressure.

Complications From High BP

• Persons suffering from high blood pressure are at increased risk for heart attack and/or stroke. They also have higher rates of kidney and other organ failure.

Keeping a Healthy BP

• To maintain a healthy blood pressure, a person should eat a healthy, low-sodium diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Frequent exercise can lower the risk of developing blood pressure related problems.

Check BP Regularly

• Blood pressure should be checked by a physician or nurse at least twice a year because blood pressure related complications often do not show up until they are life threatening.