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The article states that "more than half of all American adults have
above average total cholesterol concentrations, defined as 200 g/l or
higher." If more than
half of adults have above-average total cholesterol,
I suspect something is wrong with the definition of the
average. (Granted, an average need not be a median, but
I strongly doubt that this figure of 200 is a mean
either.)
Rather, one suspects that the interests of drug
companies and providers in promoting treatments
have led authorities to supply an unrealistically low (and round) number
for "average" total cholesterol. Of course, a lower level than the actual
average might be a desireable level, but it CANNOT be an "average" level;
that's absurd.
Peculiar definition of "average cholesterol"
The article states that "more than half of all American adults have
above average total cholesterol concentrations, defined as 200 g/l or
higher." If more than
half of adults have above-average total cholesterol,
I suspect something is wrong with the definition of the
average. (Granted, an average need not be a median, but
I strongly doubt that this figure of 200 is a mean
either.)
Rather, one suspects that the interests of drug
companies and providers in promoting treatments
have led authorities to supply an unrealistically low (and round) number
for "average" total cholesterol. Of course, a lower level than the actual
average might be a desireable level, but it CANNOT be an "average" level;
that's absurd.
Competing interests: No competing interests