Am I At Risk Of High Cholesterol?

Do you often eat food high in saturated fat (desserts and baked goods, cheeses, sausages, hot dogs, bacon, ribs, regular ground beef and cuts of meat with visible fat, fried chicken and other chicken dishes with the skin, whole milk and full-fat dairy foods, ice cream)?

Do you often eat food high in trans fats (baked goods, such as cakes, cookies and pies, crackers, microwave popcorn, frozen pizza, refrigerated dough, such as biscuits and rolls, fried food, nondairy coffee creamer, stick margarine)?

Are you obese (your body mass index (BMI) is 30 or higher)?

Do you have a sedentary lifestyle with no time to exercise?

Are you a smoker?

Do you drink alcohol every day for years (more than two drinks per day)?

Are you a woman over 55?

Do you have a diagnosis of diabetes?

Do you have high blood pressure?

Do you have a family history of high cholesterol?

Do you have a family history of heart problems?

Based on your answers you have a low risk of high cholesterol. Cholesterol in the blood is a waxy substance that is important for building healthy cells, producing hormones and digesting fatty foods. The body produces all the cholesterol it needs, so it is recommended to get as little cholesterol as possible through diet. Cholesterol is found in foods of animal origin, including red meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. There is strong evidence that people who have less cholesterol in their diet have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Since high cholesterol has no symptoms, the only way to determine cholesterol levels is through a blood test.

Based on your answers you have a moderate risk of high cholesterol. Cholesterol is a fat-like substance made in your liver. There are two types of cholesterol known as "good" and "bad" cholesterol. Good cholesterol (HDL) has the role of returning excess cholesterol from other parts of your body back to the liver, where it is broken down and removed from your body. Bad cholesterol (LDL) transfers cholesterol from the liver to other cells in your body, sometimes more than it needs to, so excess cholesterol can accumulate in your blood. People with high blood cholesterol actually have high levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol.

Based on your answers you have a high risk of high cholesterol. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is produced in your liver and is important for digestion, production of vitamin D and hormones. Excess cholesterol accumulates in the blood vessels, which can lead to impaired blood flow through the arteries, as well as the formation of blood clots that can cause a heart attack or stroke. A healthy lifestyle can help you keep your cholesterol in a normal range. Eat food that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, sodium (salt) and added sugar, exercise regularly, quit smoking and avoid drinking too much alcohol.