August 21, 2007 - Only half of adult women have had their cholesterol tested in the past year, according to the results of a nationwide survey.
The survey, conducted by the Society for Women's Health Research, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization, found that 79 percent of women know how much they weighed in high school but less than one-third know their current cholesterol number. And of the women who had a recent cholesterol test, only 57 percent could actually recall their cholesterol number.
Most women recognize the health risks of having high cholesterol: 88 percent surveyed know that high cholesterol is linked to hardening of the arteries and heart disease, and 85 percent know high cholesterol can lead to stroke.
"Clearly, strides have been made in educating women on the risks of high cholesterol, but the disconnect between awareness and action needs to be addressed," said Phyllis Greenberger, president and CEO of the Society for Women's Health Research. "Knowing your cholesterol number is the first step in controlling cholesterol.”
For more information: www.womenshealthresearch.org