Low cholesterol levels are associated with higher death rates

This study was published in the Journal of Internal Medicine 2003 Feb;253(2):169-80

Study title and authors:

What cause of mortality can we predict by cholesterol screening in the Japanese general population?

Okamura T, Kadowaki T, Hayakawa T, Kita Y, Okayama A, Ueshima H; Nippon Data80 Research Group.

Department of Health Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Tsukinowa-cho, Otsu City, Shiga 520-2192, Japan. tokamura@belle.shiga-med.ac.jp

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12542557

This study investigated the association of cholesterol levels with death rates. The study included 9,216 persons aged 30 years and over who were followed for 13.2 years.

The study found:
(a) Men with the lowest cholesterol levels (less than 4.14 mmol/L or 160 mg/dL) had a 28% increase in death rates compared to men with the highest cholesterol levels (more than 6.21 mmol/L or 240 mg/dL).
(b) Women with the lowest cholesterol levels (less than 4.14 mmol/L or 160 mg/dL) had a 38% increase in death rates compared to women with the highest cholesterol levels (more than 6.21 mmol/L or 240 mg/dL).

The results of the study show that low cholesterol levels are associated with higher death rates.