How to identify obesity and manage the risk of high cholesterol: Hazard analysis and dietary therapy

How do we determine if we are obese? For adults over 18, we can use Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI = weight (kg) / [height (m) squared]. Generally speaking, a BMI greater than 25 kg/m² for men and greater than 24 kg/m² for women is considered obese. Among obese individuals, central obesity poses the greatest risk. There's a saying: "The longer the belt, the shorter the lifespan." Statistics show that a high waist-to-hip ratio (greater than 1.0 for men, greater than 0.8 for women)

is often accompanied by elevated blood lipid levels, a potential risk factor for coronary heart disease.

Weight loss and lipid reduction should primarily involve a comprehensive approach, limiting high-fat foods and increasing the intake of vegetables, soy products, lean meat, chicken, jellyfish, etc. Eat as many fiber-rich vegetables as possible to reduce cholesterol absorption in the intestines. Onions, garlic, black fungus, hawthorn, and shiitake mushrooms all have good lipid-lowering effects.

What are the dangers of high blood lipids? Blood lipids, as an important substance in the human body, play a vital role. Only when blood lipid levels are normal can the body be healthy. Excessive blood lipids can lead to thickened blood, depositing on the walls of arteries and gradually forming small plaques, commonly known as atherosclerosis. These plaques accumulate, blocking blood vessels, slowing blood flow, and even interrupting it. If this occurs in the heart, it can cause coronary heart disease; in the brain, it can cause stroke; in the retinal blood vessels, it can lead to decreased vision and blindness; in the kidneys, it can cause renal artery sclerosis and kidney failure; and in the lower limbs, it can cause limb necrosis and ulceration. Furthermore, high blood lipids can lead to high blood pressure, induce gallstones and pancreatitis, worsen hepatitis, cause male sexual dysfunction, and contribute to Alzheimer's disease in middle-aged and elderly people.

Several treatments for lowering blood lipids: A reasonable diet is the foundation of treating high blood lipids. Any patient with high blood lipids should undergo dietary therapy before starting medication, as dietary therapy is the most physiologically sound and effective measure. A reasonable diet should include the following:

(1) Dietary measures should aim to lower blood lipids while ensuring the patient receives sufficient nutrition to maintain good health. A one-sided approach that primarily focuses on vegetarianism is unacceptable.

(2) Dietary therapy should vary depending on the type of hyperlipidemia and be tailored to the individual. It should not be applied rigidly or based on hearsay. Drug therapy should only be used when dietary therapy is ineffective or the patient cannot tolerate it. Furthermore, even when using drug therapy, reasonable dietary management should not be abandoned.