South Korea boasts the lowest LDL (bad) cholesterol levels globally, according to a comprehensive analysis of 460 million lipid tests across 17 countries on five continents.
Published in European Heart Journal in 2023, the study reveals a diverse landscape of cholesterol levels around the world, highlighting how cultural factors such as diet and exercise significantly influence heart disease risk in various populations.
Koreans benefit from a diet rich in fermented foods and legumes, which is notably low in saturated fats. Studies suggest that this dietary pattern actively reduces cholesterol levels in individuals.
Other countries with below-average cholesterol figures include Turkey and, surprisingly, the United States, known as the birthplace of fast food.
Meanwhile, Austria and Germany report the highest cholesterol levels, followed closely by Japan, Australia, and Switzerland.
In nations with elevated cholesterol levels, the high consumption of animal fats and dairy products may be a contributing factor, alongside genetic predispositions.
For instance, in Austria, 1 in 300 individuals suffer from familial hypercholesterolemia, an inherited genetic condition that greatly elevates the likelihood of high LDL cholesterol levels.
Research indicates that cholesterol levels fluctuate significantly over time. A 2020 study analyzed trends from 1980 to 2018.
Findings show that in many high-income Western countries, cholesterol levels have decreased dramatically due to improved dietary choices and the increased use of statins and other cholesterol-lowering medications.
Conversely, cholesterol levels have surged in many low- and middle-income nations, particularly in Asia. The research noted that China transitioned from having one of the lowest rates of cholesterol levels increase in 1980 to experiencing one of the highest by 2018.
Additionally, across nearly all countries studied, men tend to have higher cholesterol levels than women.
This article addresses the question posed by Winchester’s Zoe Grant: “Which country has the lowest cholesterol levels in the world?”
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