Don't Get It Wrong, Thin Body Does Not Mean Cholesterol Free

Illustration of a thin-bodied woman (Photo: Freepik/User6529390)

JAKARTA - Many people believe that high cholesterol is only a problem for those who are overweight. In fact, being thin is not a guarantee of cholesterol-free risk. Even though the body looks slim, high cholesterol can still lurk without being seen from the outside.

Health experts ask thin people to feel safe from cholesterol. High cholesterol can attack anyone, regardless of body shape.

Quoted from the Times of India website, one of the biggest factors is genetics. Some people are born with familial hypercholesterolemia, a condition where the body has a natural tendency to produce high cholesterol.

This means you have to exercise regularly, eat healthy, but your cholesterol is still high. That's why even though your body is fit and active, you still have to take cholesterol medication.

Thinness is not an excuse to eat anything without consequences. High-saturated and processed foods still accumulate in the body, even if they are not visible from the outside.

Skinny people often think their metabolism is super fast, but their arteries can still 'scream' because of unhealthy food. There is a term TOFI which is Thin Outside, Fat Inside. People with this condition look thin, but visceral fat sticks to vital organs. This type of fat is the most dangerous because it can affect the heart and cholesterol.

Daily habits also play a big role. Skinny people who rarely move, sleep less, are highly stressed, or consume too much caffeine are still at high risk of having bad cholesterol.

Many people think that the size is small, it means it is healthy. In fact, cholesterol cannot be seen from the outside. Many people only realize that their cholesterol is high when they do a routine blood test.

High LDL or low HDL can happen to anyone, including those who are thin. So, don't wait for symptoms to appear.