As part of its ongoing mission to keep the world’s hearts healthier, and on the occasion of World Heart Day 2008, Flora launched the Flora pro-activ 3 Week Challenge in Malta which was designed by health experts to test the effect on cholesterol levels when consuming Flora pro-activ products for the duration of three weeks as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Combined with a healthy diet and an exercise programme, the challenge aimed to help individuals with raised cholesterol levels to make positive changes in their lifestyles for good health and well being.

This initiative was offered to a group of Maltese people, who originally attended the World Heart Day seminars in October 2007, and had taken the free cholesterol test offered by Flora. Seven participants, two females and five males, voluntarily took part in the Flora pro-activ 3 Week Challenge in a bid to lower their cholesterol levels.

From the six participants who successfully finished the three-week programme, two of the participants started off the challenge with a normal body mass index, three were overweight and one was obese. The fasting lipid profiles showed an average total cholesterol level of 7.0mmol/L, an average LDL (bad cholesterol) of 5.8mmol/L and an average HDL (good cholesterol) of 1.2mmol/L. The participants’ ages ranged from 30 to 63 years.

The target for asymptomatic individuals at low risk of developing heart disease is to have LDL cholesterol of less than 4mmol/L, an HDL cholesterol greater than 1mmol/L, and a total cholesterol level of less than 5.5mmol/L. (Retelny, et al., 2008).

A number of factors play a significant role in the reduction of LDL cholesterol, such as diets low in saturated fats and high in fibre as well as regular exercise.

Plant sterols also help in reducing high cholesterol levels by partly blocking the absorption of cholesterol in the gut. The cholesterol that is not absorbed is removed from the body, resulting in a lowering of total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

During the course of the three-week challenge each participant followed an individualised dietary plan, which also incorporated 2g – 2.5g of plant sterols per day from Flora pro.activ spread and UHT milk, as well as an exercise programme. The participants were reviewed every week, for the duration of the whole three-week challenge, by nutritionist Joseph Magri, who monitored their food intake diary and progress.

Previous studies have shown that sufficient plant sterols contained in three portions of Flora pro.activ foods consumed each day can lower bad cholesterol (LDL) by 10-15% in just three weeks, when combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle.

At the end of the three-week challenge the participants who followed the diet and exercise advice of the nutritionist managed to change their lifestyle, and reduce both their weight and cholesterol levels: average total cholesterol level of 6.1mmol/L (12.9% reduction) and an average LDL cholesterol of 4.4mmol/L (24.1% reduction).

The aim of this challenge was to give the Maltese consumer a chance to make a lifestyle change. Thanks to the programme the participants were given the opportunity to consult a nutritionist who offered advice and guidance throughout the 3 week challenge on how to make dietary and lifestyle changes leading to better heart health.

The challenge was a success in that it resulted in weight loss and lower cholesterol levels.

Flora and Flora pro.activ products are part of the Unilever brand portfolio imported and distributed locally by M&Z (Marketing) Ltd. PO Box 295, Valletta, Malta. www.florahearts.com.mt