4727.0.55.002 - Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey: Users' Guide, 2012-13

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 10/09/2014 First Issue

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Contents >> Biomedical Measures >> Cardiovascular disease (CVD) biomarkers >> Total cholesterol

TOTAL CHOLESTEROL

Definition

Cholesterol is a type of fat that circulates in the blood. It is essential for many metabolic processes, including the production of hormones and building cells.¹ Total cholesterol includes 'good' cholesterol (High Density Lipoprotein (HDL)), which prevent blockages in the circulatory system; 'bad' cholesterol (Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)), which can leave fatty deposits in the arteries; and other lipid components.² High levels of total cholesterol may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

The total cholesterol test measures the combined amount of lipid (fat) components circulating in the blood at the time of the test.

Population

Total cholesterol results were obtained for selected persons aged 18 years and over, who agreed to participate in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Measures Survey (NATSIHMS) and who provided a blood sample. Fasting was not required for this test.

Methodology

A blood sample was collected from participants and total cholesterol levels were measured at the Douglass Hanly Moir (DHM) laboratory.

In the NATSIHMS, cut off reference values for normal and abnormal results were sourced from the 2001 lipid management guidelines³ and subsequently the 2005 position statement⁴ on lipid management by the National Heart Foundation Australia and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (NHFA/CSANZ). These guidelines are based on epidemiological data and publications of major clinical trials.

In the NATSIHMS, the following definitions were used for serum total cholesterol:

Normal total cholesterol levels < 5.5 mmol/L
Abnormal total cholesterol levels ≥ 5.5 mmol/L.

Further test information about the analysis method and machine used to measure total cholesterol levels is available in Excel spreadsheet format in the Downloads page of this product.

Data items

The data items and related output categories for this topic are available in Excel spreadsheet format from the Downloads page of this product.

Interpretation

Points to be considered when interpreting data for this topic include the following:

Total cholesterol results do not confirm a specific diagnosis without consultation with a health professional.
Age, gender and taking lipid lowering medications are all variables that may affect lipid and lipoprotein levels.⁵ As a result, the data should be interpreted with care.
There are a number of different test methods for measuring total cholesterol, which may produce different results. The data from this topic should therefore be used with caution when comparing total cholesterol results from other studies using a different test method or equation.

Comparability with other surveys

The NATSIHMS is the first ABS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander survey to collect biomedical information. Given it was also the first national level survey (ABS or otherwise) to collect such data for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, no comparisons with previous surveys for this population are possible.

However, biomedical data was also collected for all Australians in the 2011-12 National Health Measures Survey (NHMS) and information about comparisons between the NHMS results and those of non-ABS surveys is available from the Comparisons with other Australian surveys section of the Biomedical Results for Chronic Diseases, 2011-12 publication.

ENDNOTES

1 Better Health Channel, 2013, Cholesterol, <http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Cholesterol_explained>, Last accessed 08/09/2014.
2 National Heart Foundation of Australia, 2013, Cholesterol, <http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/NAHU-Cholesterol.pdf>, Last accessed 08/09/2014.
3 National Heart Foundation of Australia and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand, 2001, Lipid Management Guidelines - 2001, <http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/Lipid-management-guidelines.pdf>, Last accessed 08/09/2014.
4 National Heart Foundation of Australia and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand, 2005, Position Statement on Lipid Management - 2005, <http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/sitecollectiondocuments/the-lipid-position-statement.pdf>, Last accessed 08/09/2014.
5 Appleton CA, Caldwell G, McNeil A, Meerkin M, Sikaris K, Sullivan DR, Thomas DW, and DP Tognarini, Australian Pathology Lipid Interest Group, 2007, Recommendations for Lipid Testing and Reporting by Australian Pathology Laboratories, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1904423/>, Last accessed 08/09/2014.