Blood Cholesterol
Blood cholesterol is one marker of metabolic fitness, or the fitness of your blood. You might try asking your parents for their blood cholesterol results from their past medical check-up. Using the following table, you can interpret blood cholesterol levels to determine metabolic fitness based on a blood cholesterol test. Cholesterol is measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dl) of blood.
Cholesterol Classifications (mg/dl)
| Total cholesterol | LDL-C | HDL-C | TC/HDL-C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimal | — | <100 | — | 3.5 or lower |
| Near optimal | — | 100-129 | — | — |
| Desirable | <200 | — | >60 | — |
| Borderline | 200-240 | 130-160 | 39-59 | 3.6-5.0 |
| High risk | >240 | >160 | <39 | 5.0+ |
Can you see how there are several ways to analyze blood cholesterol levels? You can look at the total cholesterol level. However, if someone has a high level of HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol), this will increase her total cholesterol. Therefore, you can look at the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol (TC/HDL-C). A low level of the "bad" (LDL) cholesterol is something everyone should strive for. Regular physical activity and a healthy diet will help lower LDL cholesterol, increase HDL cholesterol, and reduce the TC/HDL-C ratio, all positive outcomes for metabolic fitness.