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Get Heart Smart: Take the What's Up? Cholesterol Quiz

By Stephanie Avent

You’re sure to see hearts everywhere you go this month, in the form of chocolate boxes, romantic cards, and other Valentine-related love tokens. Let these be a reminder to you: February is also American Heart Month. One way to take good care of your heart is by maintaining a healthy cholesterol level—but how many of us really know what is required to do so? Take this cholesterol quiz to find out how heart smart you are.

1. The most blood cholesterol in your body is produced by:
a. Your kidneys
b. Your liver
c. Your intestines
d. Your food intake

2. This type of fat is the unhealthiest:
a. Trans fat
b. Saturated fat
c. Unsaturated fat
d. Omega-3 fatty acids

3. Which of the following is a desirable total blood cholesterol level?
(Measured in milligrams/deciliter)
a. 200 mg/dL
b. 220 mg/dL
c. 240 mg/dL
d. 260 mg/dL

4. True or false: A high level of LDL cholesterol and a low level of HDL cholesterol increase your risk of heart disease.
a. True
b. False
5. There is cholesterol in which of the following?
a. Whole milk
b. Steak
c. Tuna
d. Eggs
e. All of the above

6. Your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol level will most likely increase if you consume too much of which of these?
a. Sugar
b. Saturated fat
c. Unsaturated fat
d. Salt

7. True or false: If you have a high blood cholesterol level, you should omit red meat from your diet.
a. True
b. False

8. True or false: Exercise can help lower your LDL cholesterol.
a. True
b. False

9. Which type of food is better for you?
a. Fat-free
b. Low-fat
c. Reduced-fat

10. True or false: If I keep my LDL-cholesterol levels under control, I needn’t worry about heart disease.
a. True
b. False

Answers:

1. b. Your liver. Each day, the liver produces about 1,000 milligrams of cholesterol—which is enough for your body to function. The American Heart Association recommends that we eat no more than 300 additional milligrams of cholesterol a day (called dietary cholesterol) to maintain a healthy diet. Cholesterol is only bad when blood cholesterol is in excess of what the body needs to perform its job with cells and hormones.

2. a. Trans fat. Though saturated fats and trans fats are both forms of unhealthy fat that can raise your blood cholesterol level tremendously, saturated fat is the lesser of two evils. Most trans fats are in hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, which are found mainly in processed foods, especially vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in such oils

3. a. 200 mg/dL. Strive to maintain a total blood cholesterol level under 200 mg/dL—this usually puts you at a lower risk for heart disease than those who have higher levels. A blood cholesterol level of 240 or over is high and increases your risk of heart disease.

4. a. True. A high level of LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) increases your risk of heart disease, as does a low level of HDL cholesterol (“good” cholesterol).

5. e. All of the above. Cholesterol is in animal products, which all four of these choices are. Saturated fats are also found in animal products such as meats, poultry (mostly in dark meat and skin), whole and partially skimmed dairy products (including milk, cheese, ice cream, and butter), and lard. Eating too much saturated fat is strongly related to higher cholesterol levels. Plants do not contain cholesterol—although they can have saturated fat, so choose wisely.

6. b. Saturated fat. An excess of saturated fat in your diet usually raises your LDL-cholesterol level and contributes to weight gain. If you have a high LDL-cholesterol level, follow a low-fat diet to get your level back down to a healthy number. According to the American Heart Association, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats appear not to raise LDL cholesterol. In excess, sugar raises your triglyceride level, lowers your HDL-cholesterol (“good cholesterol”) and raises your LDL-cholesterol (“bad cholesterol”). Too much sugar can also lead to weight gain and diabetes. And a high-sodium diet can increase your risk of high blood pressure.

7. b. False. Although some red meats are high in cholesterol and saturated fat, it is not necessary to completely omit red meat from your diet. Red meat is a good source of protein, iron, vitamins, and minerals—just be sure to watch your portion sizes (six ounces a day is enough) and to choose lean cuts of meat with the fat trimmed off.

8. a. True. Exercise, in any form, can help lower your LDL-cholesterol levels—and it also helps you to lose weight. If you can’t find time to get 30 minutes of exercise a day all at once, break it up into several short mini-workouts. Not the gym type? Housework, gardening, dancing, and walking all count as exercise.

9 a. Fat-free. Foods labeled fat-free have less than 1/2 gram of fat per serving and are your best choice if you are trying to lower your blood cholesterol level. Low-fat foods are the second best choice, with three or fewer grams of fat per serving. Reduced-fat options are still a good choice, too, with 50 percent or less of the fat than in the product’s full-fat version.

10. b. False. Besides cholesterol levels, there are several other factors that increase your risk of heart disease. These include smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, diabetes, uncontrolled high blood pressure, and heredity.

Tags: American Heart Month Cholesterol

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