India's rising heart problems could be the result of increasing waistlines and dipping levels of good cholesterol, says a new study.

The good cholesterol, or HDL, is a wax-like substance that picks up excess cholesterol from blood and deposits it in the liver for disposal. Indians have a huge deficit with HDL readings of 28.8, says the ongoing study being conducted by the American College of Cardiology that draws up treatment norms followed across the world.