September is National Cholesterol Education Month

September is National Cholesterol Education Month

About 38% of American adults have high cholesterol (total blood cholesterol ≥ 200 mg/dL). Too much cholesterol puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke, two leading causes of death in the United States. High cholesterol has no signs or symptoms, so the only way to know if you have it is to get your cholesterol checked.

About Cholesterol

Blood cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made by your liver. Blood cholesterol is essential for good health. Your body needs it to perform important jobs, such as making hormones and digesting fatty foods.

Your body makes all the blood cholesterol it needs, which is why experts recommend that people eat as little dietary cholesterol as possible while on a healthy eating plan.

Dietary cholesterol is found in animal foods, including meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. Learn more about preventing high cholesterol by making healthy eating choices.

Strong evidence shows that eating patterns that include less dietary cholesterol are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, but your overall risk depends on many factors.

Knowing Your Risk

Certain health conditions, your lifestyle, and your family history can raise your risk for high cholesterol. These are called “risk factors.”

You can’t control some of these risk factors, such as your age or your family history. But you can take steps to lower your risk for high cholesterol by changing things you can control.

Health Conditions That Increase Your Risk

  • Type 2 diabetes lowers high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good”) cholesterol levels and raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol levels. This combination raises your risk of heart disease and stroke. Learn more about type 2 diabetes.
  • Obesity is linked to higher triglyceride levels, higher LDL cholesterol levels, and lower HDL cholesterol levels. Obesity can also lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Talk to your health care team about a plan to reduce your weight to a healthy level.
  • Other health conditions. Other health conditions, such as familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), can cause very high LDL cholesterol levels. Read more about FH below on this page.

Behaviors That Increase Your Risk

Your lifestyle choices can increase your risk for high cholesterol.

  • Eating a diet high in saturated fat and trans fat may contribute to high cholesterol and related conditions, such as heart disease.
  • Not getting enough physical activity can make you gain weight, which can lead to high cholesterol.
  • Smoking damages your blood vessels, making them more likely to collect fatty deposits. Smoking may also lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good”) cholesterol levels. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, learn more about tobacco use and ways to quit at CDC’s Smoking & Tobacco Use website.

Preventing High Cholesterol

By living a healthy lifestyle, you can help keep your cholesterol in a healthy range and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.

  • Make Healthy Eating Choices
  • Maintain a Healthy Weight
  • Get Regular Physical Activity
  • Quit Smoking 
  • Limit Alcohol