The UK is facing a significant health crisis due to the increasing prevalence of high cholesterol among the population. A national programme aimed at improving disease detection and prevention has revealed that those in their midlife are now more likely to have the problem, which increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The chance of high cholesterol has long been said to rise naturally with age, usually peaking for those in their 60s and 70s. However, the findings from a mass study involving the NHS suggest that the unhealthy lifestyles of a generation that relies far more on convenience food and deliveries than its predecessors are reaping deadly consequences.
The national research programme, Our Future Health, is being rolled out at high street chemists and aims to improve the detection and prevention of diseases. The scheme, which on Monday will announce that it has recruited one million volunteers, offers free blood pressure and cholesterol checks, with participants permitting their DNA and blood samples to be used in research. Early results show a snapshot of the UK's state of health, with figures from about 220,000 volunteers signed up so far showing that 67% of those in their 50s were found to have high cholesterol, compared with 63% of those in their 60s, 48% of those in their 70s, and 39% of those in their 80s.
The World Health Organisation has also warned that a "Deliveroo culture" fuelled by the pandemic could make Britain the fattest nation in Europe within a decade. Separate figures for England show that for men, the age between 45 and 54 is the peak for weight problems, with 82% classed as overweight or obese. For women, the mountain starts in their 60s, with 71% fat or obese in the group between 65 and 74.
Researchers hope to recruit five million people over the age of 18 to take part in the study, using mass data to predict better who is at higher risk of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and stroke. As many as 3,000 new people are joining the Our Future Health scheme daily, according to researchers behind the project, a collaboration between the NHS, life science companies, and health charities.
Collecting and linking genetic and other health data could "revolutionise" the detection, treatment, and prevention of disease and result in millions of longer, healthier lives. Anyone over 18 can volunteer by signing up online, where they complete an online health questionnaire and book a clinic appointment. They are offered health information, including blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In the future, they will be given the option to receive feedback about their risk of some diseases and have the chance to take part in further research studies.
