can losing weight lower cholesterol?

It’s nice to have general recommendations, but many people prefer to have a clearer plan to follow.

If you’re one of those people, here are some of the best research-backed, heart-healthy diets. These diets also boast a higher-than-average adherence rate. That’s how likely you are to stick to them in the long term.

The Mediterranean diet is tops on most lists and has the most research backing it. It includes:

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet was crafted specifically to stop high blood pressure. It’s part of a plan that also includes exercise. But, it’s also proven to reduce cholesterol.

The recommendation is to eat a diet rich in:

The DASH diet also calls for reducing total fat, especially saturated fat.

The National Institutes of Health developed the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet to reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. It includes eating based on certain numeric guidelines and getting 30 minutes a day of physical activity most days of the week. Key dietary recommendations are:

The Dean Ornish diet is a low fat, lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet. That means you avoid eating meat from animals, but you can have milk and egg products. In this case, it allows for egg whites and nonfat dairy.

This diet emphasizes eating mostly plants in their natural forms. You get most of your protein from plant sources, such as tofu, beans, and tempeh. It also emphasizes whole grains and healthy fats, and limits simple carbohydrates, especially sugar.

Though there isn’t much new research available, an older 2009 study found that the Ornish diet was effective at reducing total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.

The Flexitarian diet has become more popular over the years. It’s a popular choice for some people who tried going fully vegetarian or vegan but may have found that eating plan too hard to stick to, or wanted some animal foods in their diets.

A 2015 study found that people who occasionally strayed from a vegetarian or vegan diet had significantly reduced their cholesterol and lost weight. A 2017 review also found that a Flexitarian diet improved metabolic health and blood pressure, and reduced the risk of diabetes.

The Flexitarian diet has no rigid rules, just lifestyle recommendations:

The vegan diet has become one of the most hyped eating plans, followed by an ever-lengthening list of celebrities. It calls for cutting out all animal products. This can reduce cholesterol greatly, as long as you stick to:

A 2018 study concluded that, in most countries, a vegan diet can significantly reduce LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. The study also showed reductions in body mass index (BMI), waist size, blood sugar, and blood pressure.

Some studies suggest that low carb diets raise your LDL cholesterol levels. But the South Beach Diet claims to do just the opposite. An older study found that the South Beach Diet did reduce LDL and total cholesterol.

The South Beach diet doesn’t call for totally eliminating carbs, but rather choosing those with a low glycemic index. It’s a phased program that initially calls for cutting out carbs, then reintroducing them a little at a time.

The diet’s effect on your cholesterol level depends on the types of protein and fat you choose to eat. The South Beach meal plan reduces your intake of saturated fats, which should lower your LDL cholesterol.

Keeping your weight down and looking after your waistline has never been easy, but will help you to look after your cholesterol and protect your heart. It can also lower your blood pressure and your risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Find out if you're a healthy weight and shape, and see our simple weight loss tips.

If your doctor has advised you to lose weight, then it can help to know that even a little weight loss makes a big difference. Losing just 10% of your body weight will help lower your cholesterol and triglyceride levels, your blood pressure, and your risk of Type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer. It also takes the stress off your joints, making it easier to move about.

It’s not just your weight that’s important, it’s your shape too. If you carry extra weight around your middle (known as 'apple shape') you’re more likely to develop heart and liver disease than if you carry your weight all over your body or around your hips and thighs (known as 'pear shape').

Being an apple shape can lead to higher cholesterol and triglycerides and cause fat to build up in your organs, especially your liver and pancreas. This stops them from working properly, leading to liver disease, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Making changes to what you eat and how active you are can help you look after your weight and lose fat from your middle.

Your BMI (body mass index) is a measure of your weight in relation to your height and it can give you an idea of whether you’re a healthy weight.

A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 25. A BMI higher than this means you’re at a higher risk of health problems.

Find out your BMI

It’s possible carry to much fat around your middle even if you're quite slim and have a healthy BMI. That’s why it’s helpful to check your waste measurement as well.

Find the top of your hip bone and the bottom of your ribs, and measure halfway between the two points. Breath out normally as you take the measurement, and check your measurement on the table below.

• Eat heart-healthy foods. A few changes in your diet can reduce cholesterol and improve your heart health: .
• Exercise on most days of the week and increase your physical activity. Exercise can improve cholesterol.
• Quit smoking.
• Lose weight.
• Drink alcohol only in moderation.

How Much Weight to Lose to Lower Your Cholesterol. Losing as little as 10 pounds can be enough to improve your cholesterol levels. In one study, people who lost at least 5% of their weight significantly reduced their levels of LDL, total cholesterol, and triglycerides.