BIOGENA Good Health Study: Hyperlipidemia

"Everyone is the architect of their own fortune." This old adage proves true in many areas of life. And so, to a certain extent, our blood lipid levels are also in our own hands – through what we eat. The Good Health Study illustrates that our lipid metabolism is not just slightly, but significantly, dependent on diet: The vegan group, following a purely plant-based diet, had by far the lowest cholesterol levels (total cholesterol: 171.1 mg/dl; LDL cholesterol: 98.1 mg/dl) and was also the only diet whose lipid levels were within the optimal range. In contrast, the omnivorous group fared worst among all the diets (total cholesterol: 214.9 mg/dl, LDL cholesterol: 138.7 mg/dl).

• We have considerable control over our cholesterol and lipid levels

• A purely plant-based diet has a positive effect on cholesterol levels

• The vegan group was the only diet with optimal total cholesterol and LDL levels

"A person is only as old as their arteries," the Berlin pathologist Robert Rössle (1876-1956) used to say. If that's the case, blood lipid levels can make people of any age look quite old. After all, the Good Healthy Study found that 72% of women and 70% of men had excessively high total cholesterol levels (≥190 mg/dl). Furthermore, 79% of women and 85% of men showed an excess of "bad" LDL cholesterol (≥100 mg/dl).

Remarkably, the LDL/HDL ratio also reflected dietary habits. Only the vegan and vegetarian groups had a ratio below 2 – a value that should be targeted by individuals with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The importance of having one's blood lipid levels checked regularly, even at a young age, was also demonstrated by the measurement of lipoprotein(a) – a fat transport protein that, in excess, promotes the development of arteriosclerosis. Lipoprotein(a) levels were elevated in approximately 25% of participants across all age groups. Many of those affected were likely unaware of this hidden danger.

• A significant excess of cholesterol is prevalent in Austrian blood vessels.

• Both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) were too high in a large proportion of male and female participants (70–85%).

• Approximately 55% of Austrians under 40 already had too much cholesterol in their blood.

• Only the vegan and vegetarian groups had an ideal, vessel-protective LDL/HDL ratio.

• In all age groups, around a quarter of participants had elevated levels of the vessel-damaging lipoprotein (a).

The BIOGENA Good Health Study with 1377 participants aimed to create a current picture of the health and supply status of the Austrian population and to demonstrate that better micronutrient supply is rewarded with increased physical and mental well-being.