Most clinics, labs and hospitals in the world require patients to have an empty stomach before getting their cholesterol and triglyceride levels checked out. However, a team of international health experts has recommended for the first time that fasting before a cholesterol test is no longer necessary for most people.
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— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) May 3, 2016
Evidence From Research
Their conclusion is based on research conducted in Canada, Denmark and the U.S. which involved the study of more than 300,000 people. "Interestingly, evidence is lacking that fasting is superior to non-fasting when evaluating the lipid profile for cardiovascular risk assessment," noted the health experts from the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) and the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM), via Medical News Today.
Among the three countries mentioned, only Denmark does not require patients to go fasting before a cholesterol test. Denmark has not required patients to go fasting before a cholesterol test since 2009. The health experts also argued that fasting before cholesterol test is a hindrance for many people to get their cholesterol levels checked out.
9 food rules you should be following if you're taking cholesterol-lowering drugs: https://t.co/Tt0i5chhd5 pic.twitter.com/K13zxG5V5H — Prevention Magazine (@PreventionMag) May 3, 2016
Problems Of Fasting Before Cholesterol Test
Fasting before a cholesterol test can be a problem for kids, the elderly, workers and people who suffer from diabetes. "We hope that non-fasting cholesterol testing will make more patients together with their doctors implement lifestyle changes and if necessary statin treatment to reduce the global burden of cardiovascular disease and premature death," study author Børge Nordestgaard told Medical News Today.
A person who avoids fatty food, eats plenty of food rich in omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, exercises regularly, avoids smoking, maintains a normal body weight and drinks alcohol moderately has a great chance to lower his cholesterol level, Mayo Clinic shares. Maintaining these healthy lifestyle habits can also make it even more unnecessary to go fasting before a cholesterol test.
