| EARLY Trial | UCSF School of Nursing |
| Endothelial Assessment of Risk from Lipids in Youth | University of California, San Francisco |
The American Heart Association and the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) developed the NCEP Step II diet to treat high blood cholesterol, or hypercholesterolemia (hi'·per ko·les'·ter·ol e'·me·ah).
The main aim is to lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, which causes heart attacks.
The guidelines help patients set goals for reducing saturated fat and cholesterol in their diet. At the same time, they promote good nutrition.
The composition of this diet is shown below:
| Recommended Intake as Percent of Total Calories | |
|---|---|
| Nutrient | NCEP Step II Diet |
| Total Fat | 30% or less |
| Saturated Fat | Less than 7% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | Up to 10% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | Up to 15% |
| Carbohydrate | 55% or more |
| Protein | Approximately 15% |
| Cholesterol | Less than 200 mg per day |
| Total Calories | To achieve and maintain desired weight |
What you eat is totally connected to how healthy you are, especially how healthy your heart and blood vessels are.
Food is fuel and good fuel is important for good function of your "body machine", not unlike good gasoline is important for optimal performance of a car engine.
But food is more than fuel. It is also substance, providing the very building blocks that go into your cells, your organs and tissues . . . that go into YOU.
You have heard it said that "You are what you eat." It's true! What you eat today becomes part of your body today, tomorrow, and sometimes for decades of tomorrows. For example, some foods, especially those high in saturated fat and cholesterol, can raise your blood levels of cholesterol, which can be particularly hard on your blood vessels, making them less flexible and loading them with troublesome cholesterol and fat deposits. That is why it is important to eat a well-balanced, heart healthy diet!
Source: American Heart Association web site (http://www.americanheart.org) 2003.
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For more information, contact:
marguerite.engler@nursing.ucsf.edu
Version 1.7 · 17 Jan. 2006