As levels of LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol spike by 20% post-Christmas, how can we avoid becoming prediabetic?

Levels of LDL cholesterol, the so-called ‘bad’ cholesterol that blocks arteries, have been found to be 20% higher immediately after Christmas than during the summer. New research points to a definite link between LDL levels and diabetes. With at least 5.1 million Brits now prediabetic, how can we lessen our risk this year?

Large helpings of rich Christmas food may have put us all at risk after Christmas, a leading health testing expert is warning. Our average levels of LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol have been shown to be up to 20% higher in the weeks following Christmas than at any other time of year. With the NHS stretched to breaking point and symptomless prediabetes on the rise, it’s up to all of us to cut back on cream, butter and cakes in January.

Dr Avinash Hari Narayanan (MBChB), Clinical Lead at London Medical Laboratory, says: ‘Recent research has revealed that Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) – considered “bad” cholesterol because it contributes to cholesterol build-up and blockage in the arteries – spikes by 20% in the days after Christmas. That’s because of the amount of rich foods we eat over the holiday.

‘A 20% jump in our LDL cholesterol level is obviously concerning. High cholesterol levels can cause your arteries to become blocked – leading to coronary heart disease, a heart attack or a stroke. High LDL levels are also now known to increase our likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes or becoming prediabetic.

‘We should check our cholesterol levels to ensure they haven’t soared over Christmas and cut right back on foods such as cakes and cheese in the new year – at least until our cholesterol levels return to normal. If you’ve not yet made your New Year’s Resolution, cutting back the fat seems to be an obvious choice.

‘Danish researchers at the Department of Clinical Biochemistry at Copenhagen University Hospital and the Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, first detected this post-Christmas spike in a 2018 study of 2,500 people. Just like us Brits, the Danes love their Christmas roasts and creamy desserts.

‘Their paper reveals that the risk of having elevated cholesterol is six times higher after the Christmas break. However, the good news is that the research suggests that high cholesterol following the festivities could be temporary, with new year diets and fitness regimes bringing levels back down again. 

‘The new year period is a good opportunity to resolve to improve our diet. That’s particularly important when it comes to Britain’s ongoing diabetes “epidemic”. An estimated 1 million adults have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. Worse still, 50% of cases in people under 44 are likely to be undiagnosed. In 2019, there were almost 14,000 diabetes-related deaths in the UK. The earlier people are diagnosed, the better the outcome.

‘A key study in the USA has revealed high or borderline-high total cholesterol is common in diabetes and is present in 70% of adults with diagnosed diabetes and 77% with undiagnosed diabetes. 

 ‘Diabetes is an invisible killer that shortens lives by up to ten years. Untreated diabetes can lead to blindness, amputations and death. Swift treatment is vital. Around 3.7 million Brits are already being treated for type 2 diabetes but new figures reveal around 30% of people who have full-blown type 2 diabetes aren’t even aware of it. Ironically, the younger you are and the healthier you seem, the more likely it is your diabetes will remain undiagnosed.

‘The figures are even worse for prediabetics – people on the threshold of developing full-blown diabetes. Prediabetes affects around 1 in 9 Brits, says the ONS, which equates to approximately 5.1 million adults.

‘Concerningly, prediabetics are unlikely to experience any symptoms, meaning the condition goes unnoticed even at the threshold of type 2 diabetes, when irreversible damage may have already occurred. That’s why we recently launched our “Give the finger to diabetes” campaign, to identify undiagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes with a simple finger-prick blood test.

‘London Medical Laboratory’s finger-prick HbA1c “Diabetes - Diagnosis and Monitoring” test is considered the gold standard in regular testing. It is used to measure the average level of blood glucose over the previous two to three months and both accurately monitor and diagnose diabetes. It can be taken at home through the post, or at one of the many drop-in clinics that offer these tests across London and nationwide in over 120 selected pharmacies and health stores. For full details, see: https://www.londonmedicallaboratory.com/product/diabetes-check