High cholesterol: Risk factors

If your risk factors for high cholesterol are high, so is your risk of developing coronary heart disease.

Cholesterol is a waxy fat-like substance made in the liver and found in certain foods such as dairy products (fall-fat milk), eggs and meat. The body needs some cholesterol in order to function properly. However too much cholesterol can increase a person's risk of developing heart disease. There are several factors that contribute to high cholesterol - some are controllable while others are not.

Uncontrollable risk factors include:

• Gender: After menopause, a woman's LDL-cholesterol level (‘bad’ cholesterol) goes up, as does her risk of heart disease.
• Age: Your risk increases as you get older. Men 45 years old or above and women 55 years old or above are at increased risk of high cholesterol.
• Family history: Your risk increases if a father or brother was affected by early heart disease (before age 55) or a mother or sister was affected by early heart disease (before age 65).

Controllable risk factors include:

• Diet: The saturated fat and cholesterol in the food you eat raise total and LDL-cholesterol levels.
• Weight: Being overweight can make your LDL-cholesterol level go up and your HDL level go down.
• Physical activity/exercise: Increased physical activity helps to lower LDL- cholesterol and raise HDL-cholesterol (the ‘good’ cholesterol) levels. It also helps you lose weight.