Half of US Hispanics unaware they have high cholesterol

Half of Hispanics in the United States may be unaware they have high cholesterol, suggested a study Wednesday that urged better education and treatment of the condition that can lead to heart disease.

"Many Hispanics have high cholesterol, approximately 45 percent, probably due to a mix of genes and diet," said Carlos Rodriguez, an associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston Salem, North Carolina and lead author of the study in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

"What's more surprising is the lack of awareness, treatment and control. That needs to change since awareness is the first step in prevention."

The study is based on data from 16,415 Hispanics, aged 18 to 75, who participated in the Hispanic Community Health Study in Texas.

Nearly half -- 49.3 percent -- of Hispanics were not aware that they had high cholesterol, the study found.

Among those who knew of their condition, just 29.5 percent were getting treatment.

The overall health of the people showed 40 percent were obese, 25 percent had high blood pressure and 17 percent had diabetes.

Those who were younger, had less income and had recently arrived in the United States were the least likely to have their high cholesterol under control.

Since Hispanics are one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in America, numbering 52 million, educating them about maintaining healthy cholesterol levels "could have a significant public health impact on reducing the burden of heart disease in America," said the study.