Studio Guest: Prof. Kristof Graf, Cardiologist - Part 1

Prof. Kristof Graf from the German Heart Institute in Berlin talks with TOMORROW TODAY about the cardiovascular disease, the different forms of cholesterol and how they affect the human health system.
DW-TV: The Cardiovascular disease is still the number one cause of death in Europe and the US. How can the good and the bad cholestrol actually get out of balance. What's going wrong?


Kristof Graf: What's going wrong? I think, it's our modern times. It's the way we eat, how we act, how we move. There are so many problems with having too much food and not sufficient activity. So we have a high intake but we don't use up the calories. That is one reason. The other reason is the stuff we're eating, so it's the fatty stuff but also the carbohydrates.


DW-TV: In the past actually we've always looked at the fat and said: that's the bad guy ruining your heart. You don't believe in that anymore?


Kristof Graf: No it is true, it's definitely true. But the other reason is, we know now from very good studies that also carbohydrate, high carbohydrate intake, is a reason for increased lipid levels. So we need both - we have to reduce fat, we have to reduce carbohydrates and we have to be more active.


DW-TV: But that means a diet with less pasta would be good for us?


Kristof Graf: Yes unfortunately. I'm sad to say yes, it's true, we have to reduce that.


DW-TV: Thanks up to here. We will talk again, after we had a look at a very special way of preventing the cholesterol danger.


(Interview: Ingolf Baur)