A too high cholesterol level can be partly inherited from its mother, according to a large American study. Indeed, the probability of hypercholesterolemia, that is to say a high cholesterol level, is multiplied by 5 for children of mothers with hypercholesterolemia (LDL) before their pregnancy.
“We found that maternal cholesterol before pregnancy was associated with important risk factors for cardiovascular illnesses in adult children, ”explains Dr. Michael Mendelson, researcher at Children’s Hospital in Boston (United States). “The association was stronger for high cholesterol in women before pregnancy, compared to those with high cholesterol after pregnancy. If a mother had high LDL (“bad” cholesterol) before pregnancy, her children are almost five times more likely to have the same high LDL cholesterol, as adults.
“The risk of developing high cholesterol is not fully explained by genetic and lifestyle factors,” Dr. Mendelson recalls. “Exposure to high cholesterol in the womb during pregnancy can have a lasting effect in regulating cholesterol levels, and decades later.”
Before scientists figure out how to fight this mode of transmission, good lifestyle habits can fight cholesterol.
Practice a regular physical activity, eat better by focusing on good fats and respecting the bad ones, the good ratio being 1/4 saturated fat and 3/4 poly- and monounsaturated fat.
In fact, hypercholesterolemia is a major risk factor for heart disease andStroke. It can lead to plaque buildup in the artery walls and their narrowing, causing a condition called atherosclerosis which can make it harder for blood to flow through the heart and body.
This study was presented at the Canadian Congress of Vascular Health.
