Risk Factors

There are a number of risk factors for high cholesterol. (Risk factors are things about you that can raise your LDL or "bad" cholesterol and lower your HDL or "good" cholesterol.) You can change some risk factors by living a healthy lifestyle. Other risk factors are out of your control.

Some common risk factors you can change are:

• A diet high in saturated fat, like those found in meat, milk and other dairy products, and trans fats. Trans fats are especially harmful because they not only raise LDL levels but they can lower "good" HDL levels.
• Lack of physical exercise.
• Being overweight.
• Smoking. Smoking can lower your good cholesterol.

Some risk factors you cannot change are:

• A family history of high cholesterol. If high cholesterol runs in your family, you may have inherited the tendency for high cholesterol. One more important reason to have your cholesterol checked regularly.
• Aging. Cholesterol levels tend to get higher as we grow older.

High cholesterol levels can be deadly

High LDL (bad cholesterol) levels raise your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. An LDL level under 130 mg/dL is good for most people. More than 160 mg/dL means you have a much higher risk of heart disease.

People with total cholesterol levels of 240 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) or higher have twice the risk of heart attack as those with levels 200 mg/dL or below.

When you have high cholesterol and another risk factor such as smoking or diabetes, you are "high risk." Experts recommend these people take medication and make lifestyle changes to lower LDL levels to less than 100 mg/dL. This is because their chances of having a heart attack are high. The more you lower LDL, the more you lower your risk.

Higher HDL is better

An HDL (good cholesterol) level lower than 40 mg/dL puts you at high risk for heart disease. Smoking, being overweight and not getting enough exercise can lower HDL.

More on Cholesterol

In the Encyclopedia:

This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.