Attachment_G-4_UnderstandingYourHealthScreeningResults

Understanding Your Health Screening Results
The information below is for educational purposes only. Your individual results should be interpreted by a licensed
healthcare provider.
Total Cholesterol (mg/dL)

Your body produces some cholesterol, but most of it comes from animal sources in your
diet (like meat and eggs). Total Cholesterol is the measurement of many different kinds of
fats or lipids in your blood. Keeping healthy levels of cholesterol will help reduce your
chances of heart attack and stroke.

Desirable: < 200
Borderline high: 200- 240
High: >240
HDL Cholesterol (mg/dL)

HDL is the “good” cholesterol that is leaving your body. The more HDL in your blood
the less likely you are to develop coronary heart disease. You can increase HDL by
regular physical activity, weight loss and not smoking.

Desirable: >40
Triglycerides (mg/dL)

Triglycerides are blood fats known as lipids. They are necessary for proper nerve
function. High levels can cause hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis. High levels or
triglycerides are often caused by being overweight, diabetic and/or having impaired fat
metabolism. Triglycerides may be reduced by having fewer simple sugars (sweets) and less
alcohol. If you have eaten within 10 hours before taking this test, your results may not be
accurate.

Normal: <150
Borderline high: 150-199
High: >200
LDL Cholesterol (mg/dL)
Optimal: <100
Near or above optimal: 100-129
Borderline high: 130-159
High: >159
Total Cholesterol/HDL Ratio

Knowing how much of your total cholesterol is good (HDL) or bad (LDL) tells you about
your risk for heart disease. The standard risk is 4.5. The healthy goal is to have a number
lower than 4.5. A score over 4.5 means you have a higher risk for heart disease. You can
improve your score (ratio) by having more good cholesterol (HDL) and less bad
cholesterol (LDL).

Desirable: <4.5
Glucose (mg/dL)

This is your blood sugar. Glucose rises rapidly after meals then returns to near fasting
levels within about two hours. Abnormally high blood sugar can be a sign of diabetes, or
other disorders or diseases. If you have eaten within 3 hours before taking this test, your
result may not be accurate.

Normal fasting: 60-100
Blood Pressure (systolic/diastolic) mmHg
Normal: <120 and <80
Pre-hypertensive: 120-139 or 80-89
Hypertensive: > 139 or >89
Pulse

Height

Weight

Less than 18.5 Underweight
18.5 to 24.9
Normal
25.0 to 29.9
Moderate risk
30 or more
High risk

When your heart beats, it pumps blood through your arteries and creates pressure in them.
The higher number (systolic) represents the pressure when your heart is beating. The lower
number (diastolic) represents the pressure when your heart is resting between beats. Your
blood pressure can change from minute to minute, with changes in posture, exercise or
sleep. If your first reading is high, your doctor may take several readings before deciding if
your blood pressure is a health concern.
Your pulse is caused by the beating of your heart. It is an accurate and simple way to
access the health of the heart and circulatory system. Many factors affect normal
heart rate, including your age, activity level and the time of day. In general, the lower
your resting heart rate, the more efficient your heart is and the healthier you are.

Normal: 60-100 bpm
BMI (Body Mass Index)

LDL is the “bad” cholesterol that clogs your arteries and can cause poor circulation,
stroke or heart attack. The more LDL you have, the more likely you are to develop heart
disease. You can decrease LDL by eating less fat and more fiber.

Waist/Hip

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a person’s weight and height. BMI
provides an indicator of weight categories that may lead to health problems: Minimal RiskBMI <25; Moderate Risk- BMI between 25-29.9; High Risk – BMI > 30. If your BMI is at or
above 30, or your waist circumference is:
• Men – 40 inches or more
• Women – 35 inches or more
You are at a significantly higher risk of developing heart disease. Your waist-to-hip ratio is
found by dividing your waist measurement by your hip measurement. Waist/hip ratio for
women should be lower than .85, and for men waist-to-hip ratio should be less than 1.0.