Americans keep check on cholesterol

With national cholesterol awareness month drawing to a close, a new survey by health web site QualityHealth.com shows that Americans are making efforts to properly manage their cholesterol. The survey, the eighth in QualityHealth.com's HealthOpin survey series, shows 65 % of Americans are checking their cholesterol levels within the recommended American Heart Association time frame of once every five years.

The survey, which polled 10,023 Americans, primarily women, shows 15% of respondents have their cholesterol levels checked several times a year, 33% do so once a year, 11% once every two to four years, 6% once every five years and 35% never have their levels checked.

Of those recently diagnosed with high cholesterol (22%), 70% said they filled the prescription their doctor gave them for a cholesterol lowering drug. 88% of this group said they are taking some kind of action on their own to lower their levels, with 27% eating a low fat diet, 22% starting an exercise program or exercising more, 22% consuming oat-based products like Cheerios, 15% taking herbal remedies such as flax seed oil, fish oil or garlic extract, 4% drinking red wine and 10% are engaging in "other" methods.