People with higher bad cholesterol tend to have more inflammation-causing immune cells in their belly fat — for every 1 mmol/L rise in cholesterol, these cells go up by about 18%.
Scientific Claim
In adult males, higher levels of non-HDL cholesterol are associated with a higher proportion of proinflammatory macrophages in visceral adipose tissue, with each 1 mmol/L increase in non-HDL cholesterol linked to an 18% increase in these immune cells.
Original Statement
“The change in the proportion of PIMs was estimated at 18% for every 1 mmol of increase in non-HDL cholesterol levels... a very highly positive and significant correlation (p < 0.0001) with an r2 value of 0.1288 was found.”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
association
Can only show association/correlation
Assessment Explanation
The correlation is based on observational data from a subset of individuals; the study does not manipulate variables, so causal language is inappropriate.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Rapid Drop in Coronary Heart Disease Mortality in Czech Male Population—What Was Actually behind It?
When men ate less fatty food, their bad cholesterol went down, and so did the number of inflammatory immune cells in their belly fat—so yes, more bad cholesterol links to more inflammation in fat tissue.