What's the Ideal Blood Cholesterol Ratio? Find Out Now!
Have you had a blood test to check your cholesterol level? These check the different blood fat components:
- total cholesterol
- LDL (low-density lipoprotein), often referred to as "bad cholesterol,"
- HDL (high-density lipoprotein), often referred to as "good cholesterol,"
- triglycerides.
Your healthcare provider will contrast your test outcomes with standard values and might employ ratios to assess various kinds of cholesterol.
Elevated levels of blood cholesterol constitute a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. These encompass various disorders affecting blood vessels across the body, such as coronary artery disease which involves arteries supplying the heart, along with issues like congestive heart failure, problems with heart valves, irregular heartbeat rhythms, and strokes.
What exactly is the role of cholesterol? Also, could you explain what having an optimal cholesterol ratio signifies?
What are blood fats?
Cholesterol is a waxy substance produced in the liver and intestines; only a minor portion comes directly from dietary sources.
Cholesterol is present in every cell membrane where it plays a role in maintaining both their architecture and operation. Your body uses cholesterol to make Vitamin D, bile acids, along with hormones such as estrogen, testosterone, cortisol, and aldosterone.
When excess cholesterol circulates in your bloodstream, it accumulates in the arterial walls, causing them to become rigid and constricted. This phenomenon is referred to as atherosclerosis .

Cholesterol is packaged with triglycerides (the most prevalent form of fat within the human body) and specific “apo” proteins Into "lipoproteins" packaged as "very-low-density" lipoproteins (VLDLs).
These are carried through the bloodstream to bodily tissues in a form known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
High-density lipoprotein, known as HDL, can carry excess cholesterol back to the liver for elimination from the bloodstream.
A lesser-discussed type of blood fat is Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a). This is influenced by your genetic makeup. not affected by elements related to one's way of life Approximately one in five ( 20% A portion of Australians are carriers.
Elevated levels of Lp(a) constitute an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.
Knowing your numbers
Your blood fat levels are affected by both modifiable factors:
- dietary intake
- physical activity
- alcohol
- smoking
- weight status.
And non-modifiable factors:
- age
- sex
- family history.
Read more: High cholesterol concerns you? Consider these five foods to consume and evade.
What are cholesterol ratios?
Cholesterol ratios can offer additional insight into the equilibrium among various kinds of blood lipids and help assess the likelihood of cardiovascular disease development.
Commonly used ratios include:
1. Total cholesterol to HDL ratio
This proportion is utilized in Australia to evaluate the likelihood of developing heart disease It's determined by dividing your overall cholesterol level by your HDL (good) cholesterol level.
A higher ratio ( greater than 5 A higher ratio is linked to an increased chance of developing heart disease, while a lower ratio indicates a reduced likelihood of encountering heart issues.
A study Of the 32,000 Americans studied over eight years, those with either extremely high or very low total cholesterol/HDL ratios showed a respective increase of 26% and 18% in their likelihood of dying from any cause throughout the duration of the research.
Individuals having a ratio exceeding 4.2 faced a 13% increased likelihood of succumbing to heart disease compared to those whose ratio was below 4.2.
2. The ratio of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (NHHR)
Non-HDL cholesterol represents the overall cholesterol level after subtracting HDL. It encompasses various types of blood lipids including LDL, triglycerides, Lp(a), and more. This metric is often referred to as the non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, or NHCR for short.
This particular ratio has gained recent use as it measures the proportion of "unhealthy" lipids, which may lead to atherosclerosis (the hardening and constriction of arteries), against "healthy" or protective lipid levels (specifically HDL).
Non-HDL cholesterol is a more reliable indicator of cardiovascular disease risk than LDL alone, while HDL is associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk.
Since this ratio eliminates the "good" cholesterol from the non-HDL component of the ratio, it doesn’t punish individuals with significantly high levels of "good" HDL that contribute to their overall cholesterol count, unlike the initial ratio.
Studies have indicated that this ratio could be more indicative predictor of atherosclerosis in females compared to males , yet further research is required.
Another study The study tracked over 10,000 adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes across the United States and Canada for approximately five years. Researchers discovered that every one-unit rise in the ratio corresponded to roughly a 12% higher likelihood of experiencing a heart attack, stroke, or dying.
They pinpointed a risk threshold of 6.28 or higher once other risk elements were factored in. Individuals whose ratio surpasses this figure are considered to be at extremely high risk and necessitate intervention to reduce their likelihood of developing heart disease.

3. LDL-to-HDL cholesterol ratio
The LDL/HDL ratio is determined by dividing your LDL cholesterol level by your HDL cholesterol level. This provides a measure of "bad" cholesterol relative to "good" cholesterol.
A lower ratio ( preferably below 2.0 It is linked to a reduced chance of developing heart disease.
Although less emphasis is placed on LDL/HDL ratios, research indicates that these measurements can predict the likelihood of occurrences and severity of heart attacks in patients presenting with chest pain.
Read more: Health Assessment: Five dietary suggestions that might safeguard your health following a cardiac event
If you're concerned about your cholesterol levels or cardiovascular disease risk factors and you're 45 years old or older (or over 30 for Indigenous Australians), think about visiting your GP for a Medicare-covered check-up. Heart Health Check .
Clare Collins AO serves as a Laureate Professor specialising in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Newcastle, New South Wales, and she also works with the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI). As an esteemed recipient of an NHMRC Leadership Fellowship, she has secured funding through various sources including the NHMRC, ARC, MRFF, HMRI, Diabetes Australia, Heart Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, nib foundation, Rijk Zwaan Australia, Western Australia Department of Health, Meat & Livestock Australia, and Greater Charitable Foundation. Clare has provided consultancy services to organisations such as SHINE Australia, Novo Nordisk, Quality Bakers, the Sax Institute, Dietitians Australia, and the ABC. Additionally, she participated in developing systematic reviews aimed at updating the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines, contributed her expertise to the Heart Foundation’s evaluations on meat consumption and eating habits, and currently co-chairs the Guidelines Development Advisory Committee for clinical practice guidelines concerning obesity treatment.
Erin Clarke serves as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Newcastle and is associated as an affiliate researcher with Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI). Additionally, she works as an Accredited Practicing Dietitian in private practice. Erin receives support through L/Professor Clare Collins’ National Health and Medical Research Council Leadership Fellowship. Her research endeavors have been funded by entities such as the New South Wales Ministry of Health, the University of Newcastle, HMRI, and Hunter New England Health; moreover, she collaborates industrially via a partnership with Honeysuckle Health Pty Ltd. Professionally engaged beyond her primary roles, Erin participates actively on the Nutrition Society of Australia’s council where she co-chairs the Newcastle Regional Group. Furthermore, she represents early-career researchers within programs like HMRI Food and Nutrition Research Program, the University of Newcastle College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing Early Career Researchers Committee, alongside being part of special interest groups focused on precision and personalized nutrition under the auspices of the Nutrition Society of Australia and cardiovascular research efforts organized by the NSW Cardiovascular Research Network.
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