5 Things Your Employees Should Know about Cholesterol

We’re pretty sure not too many companies get excited about September being Cholesterol Education Month. But—we are!

FIT2order whole-heartedly believes in the power of awareness to bring knowledge, to spark change and, in September, to bring DOWN those high cholesterol numbers!

Do YOUR Employees Know?

We NEED Cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in the cells of our body. Our bodies NEED cholesterol to make certain hormones, to produce Vitamin D and to help digest food. It is naturally produced in the liver—and that’s ALL our bodies need. Our Western diet tends to be high in saturated fats and low in fiber, which gives us more cholesterol. And that’s where we get into trouble.

The Difference Between HDL vs. LDL

There is “bad” cholesterol (known as LDL/Low Density Lipoproteins), and there is “good” cholesterol (known as HDL/High Density Lipoproteins). Over time, too much of the “bad” cholesterol can build up in the walls of our arteries, making blood flow more difficult—we want the LDL number low.

Meanwhile, the “good” cholesterol’s job is to remove the bad cholesterol from our arteries—we want the HDL number high. Too much build-up of LDL creates a condition called arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, which can cause a heart attack or stroke. It’s important your employees get a cholesterol blood test to learn both numbers.

The American Heart Association recommends most adults get their blood cholesterol levels checked every 4-6 years (1).

Kids Can Have High Cholesterol

According to the CDC, 7% of US children aged 6 to 19 have High Cholesterol (2). Studies have shown that cholesterol can begin clogging the arteries during childhood, leading to atherosclerosis and heart disease later in life. In most cases, kids with high cholesterol have a parent who also has elevated cholesterol. (2)

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the updated Cholesterol Guidelines recommend cholesterol screening for all kids between the ages of 9 and 11 and then again between ages 17 and 21 (3). If high cholesterol runs in the family, your employees should check with their child’s pediatrician for possible early screening.

Most People Ate Their Way into High Cholesterol

The good news is they can eat their way out of high cholesterol. Your employees should learn the powerful effect food has on both lowering and raising cholesterol. For example, foods with trans fat (think processed and deep fried foods) and foods high in saturated fats (think bacon and high fat dairy) can increase bad cholesterol. Foods high in fiber (particularly soluble fiber, like oats and apples) as well as healthy fats (polyunsaturated fats like salmon and avocados) can help to lower cholesterol.

High Work-related Stress is Connected to Cholesterol

Are your employees under chronic stress at work? Multiple studies show a positive connection between high stress and high cholesterol. (4) A recent study that focused on over 90,000 people found those with work-related stress had a greater chance of being diagnosed with high cholesterol (5).

Preventing and managing stress DURING the work day may help to control cholesterol. Even if your employees cannot remove all of the stressors in their life, they can learn strategies to help manage it. Experts agree—it’s not the amount of stress that we’re are under, it’s how we handle it (6).

Exercise Can Improve Cholesterol Numbers

Exercise can aid in weight loss AND can increase your good cholesterol, both of which help to lower bad cholesterol. Much of the research on exercise that lowers cholesterol focuses on cardiovascular (cardio/aerobic) exercise. The American Heart Association and the American College of Sports medicine recommend a cholesterol-lowering program consist of 40 minutes of cardio exercise most days of the week. (7)

Which Statistic Will Your Claims Data Match?

1 in 3 Americans has High LDL Cholesterol ~ CDC (2)

Or

For every 1% decrease in your cholesterol, your risk for developing heart disease decreases by 2%. ~Cleveland Clinic (9)

For most of your employees, high cholesterol is preventable and controllable. Create cholesterol awareness within your company this September. Your efforts can be as simple as sharing this post or sharing our September’s Cholesterol-focused e-newsletter. Or, you can contact your insurance carrier for any awareness campaigns they may offer. For a deeper dive into the topic of cholesterol for employees, contact us for information about our e-learning Cholesterol Module.

Sources:

1. American Heart Association. How to Get Your Cholesterol Tested. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/how-to-get-your-cholesterol-tested
2. Centers for Disease Control. High Cholesterol In the United States. https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/facts.htm
3. American Heart Association. New guidelines: Cholesterol should be on everyone’s radar, beginning early in life. November 10, 2018. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2018/11/10/new-guidelines-cholesterol-should-be-on-everyones-radar-beginning-early-in-life
4. MacGill, M. How does stress affect cholesterol levels? Medical News Today. January, 2019. Accessed August 20, 2019. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/313207.php
5. Catalina-Romero, C.; Calvo E; Sanchez-Chaparro, M.; et al. The relationship between job stress and dyslipidemia. Scand J Public Health. (March
6. How does stress contribute to cholesterol? Everyday Health Website. (2016). https://www.everydayhealth.com/high-cholesterol/living-with/experts-how-does-stress-contribute-to-cholesterol/
7. Thompson, W. R., PhD, FACSM, Gordon, N. F., MD, PhD, MPH, FACSM, & Pescatello, L. S., PhD, FACSM (Eds.). (2010).ACSM's guidelines for exercise testing and prescription (8th ed.). Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
8. Cholesterol: What you need to know about high cholesterol. Cleveland Clinic Website. Visited August, 2019. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17100-cholesterol-what-you-need-to-know-about-high-blood-cholesterol