What will my blood be tested for?

Part of your blood sample (with your permission) will be sent to a laboratory to be tested for the following:

– Total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Cholesterol is a type of fat present in the blood, related to diet. Too much cholesterol in the blood increases the risk of heart disease. However, there are two types of cholesterol; HDL is the ‘healthy’ type, which helps to keep ‘bad’ cholesterol levels lower.

– Glycated haemoglobin. This is an indicator of long term blood sugar levels and is linked to the risk of developing diabetes.

– Triglycerides. Triglyceride levels are associated with cardiovascular disease and are also important to help us work out how much low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is in your blood. LDL is the ‘bad’ type of cholesterol.

– C-reactive protein (CRP). This is a measure of inflammation in the body and can help predict the risk of developing diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer, as well as mental health issues.