---

Dept of Health

Answer

Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking to reduce cholesterol levels in the adult population. [195481] Miss Melanie Johnson: High intakes of saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels. The Government provide practical guidance on how consumers can reduce the saturated fat in their diets through healthy eating advice. As part of a balanced diet, foods rich in saturated fat need to be replaced with unsaturated fats such as oil rich fish and foods containing oils such as sunflower, rapeseed and olive oils. The Government have also conducted a major consultation exercise on improving public health, covering a range of lifestyle issues, including diet and physical activity. Responses to the consultation have informed the development of a White Paper on improving health, due later this year. The Department of Health also funds a range of non-governmental organisations to increase awareness of the benefits of eating a healthy diet and active lifestyles. High cholesterol is a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and related diseases. The Department's National Service Framework (NSF) for CHD sets out modern standards and service models for the NHS for the prevention and treatment of CHD.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

195481; 426 c1951-2W;426 c1957W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Diets Health hazards Health education Fats Heart diseases Nutrition Cholesterol

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk