High Cholesterol: Risk Factors

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

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made in the liver and found in certain foods, such as from animals, like dairy products (whole 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 for heart disease.
• Age: Your risk increases as you get older. Men aged 45 years or older and women aged 55 years or older 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.

Reviewed by the doctors in the Department of Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation at The Cleveland Clinic Heart Center.