Test your cholesterol

You are?

A man under 30 years?
A man between 30 and 60 years?
A man over 60 years?
A woman under 30 years?
A woman between 30 and 60 years?
A woman over 60 years?

Cholesterol-related risks increase with age.

At the same age, women generally have a lower rate than men.

After the menopause, the cholesterol rate in women tends to increase.

Do you practise any exercise?

Never or very little
Less than one hour a week
One to two hours a week
More than two hours a week

Regular exercise is essential to staying healthy.

Exercise helps to strengthen the arteries and the heart making them more resistant; it also helps to eliminate excess fat in the body.

Ideally, you should be exercising 2 to 3 times a week with each session lasting one hour.

If you do not have the opportunity to do any exercise, try walking at least 30 minutes every day.

What type of professional work do you do?

Office work
Manual labour
Manual labour requiring intensive physical activity

Office work generally requires less effort than manual labour, so it is important to perform some physical activity to stay in shape and protect oneself from cardiovascular illnesses.

What is your BMI (body mass index)?

Your height in cm

Your weight in kg

The BMI is the indicator that helps to assess the risks of illnesses related to being underweight or overweight.

Classification	Body mass index	Risk of developing health problems
Underweight	Less than 18.5	Increased
Normal weight	Between 18.5 and 25	Lesser
Overweight or pre-obesity	Between 25 and 30	Increased
Moderate obesity	Between 30 and 40	High
Severe obesity	More than 40	Very high

How often do you eat foods that are rich in saturated fats (fried food, cured meats, pastries, butter, red meat, etc)?

Every day
More than 4 times a week
2 to 4 times a week
Once a week
Never

High consumption of saturated fats leads to increased cholesterol in the blood, which is one of the risk factors of coronary artery disease.

Saturated fat should represent less than 10% of total energy expenditure.

Saturated fat is found in butter, meat, meat products (sausages, hamburgers), milk and full-fat milk and yoghurts, but also vegetable sources like coconut and palm oil.

It is recommended that you avoid or limit eating such products.

How often do you eat fruit and vegetables?

Never
A few times a week
1 to 4 times a day
5 to 6 times a day

Fruit and vegetables contain no or little cholesterol and should be favoured over other foods to guarantee a good nutrition.

It is recommended that you eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

Do you drink alcohol?

Never
Less than once a week
A few times a week
Every day

Excessive consumption of alcoholic drinks increases the rate of triglycerides, the risk of cardiovascular, pancreatic complications, ...

Do you smoke ?

No
Yes
Former smoker who quit less than 3 years ago

Smoking is one of the main risk factors of cardiovascular illnesses.

Myocardial infarction, high blood pressure, arteritis of the lower limbs, stroke, impotence, and thrombosis are worsened in smokers.

Smoking contributes to the formation of atheroma deposits on the arteries, partially and sometimes totally obstructing them.

Do you suffer from high blood pressure?

Yes
No

High blood pressure is not an illness in itself but it can have serious consequences. It leads to a change in the arteries: the walls of the large arteries become harder and lose their elasticity and the small arteries thicken, which reduces their capacity to dilate when adapting to the needs.

High blood pressure that is not detected and treated can cause abnormalities leading to poor blood flow to the heart, brain or kidneys.

People with high blood pressure are therefore more likely to suffer from heart failure, heart attack or stroke.

High blood pressure can also be the root cause of injuries to the retina as the blood vessels have become more fragile, and in some extreme cases, can result in total loss of eyesight.

Has a member of your immediate family (father, mother, brother, sister) already been affected by a cardiovascular illness?

Yes
No

Try to find out from your family whether there have been any problems of cardiovascular illnesses. If this is the case, tell your doctor immediately.

If you have a family history of cardiovascular illness and high cholesterol rates, it is recommended that you follow a healthy diet and undergo regular check-ups with your general practitioner.