There are many factors which may cause your cholesterol level to be above the target level, however the most common dietary cause is eating too much fat and in particular too much saturated fat.
High intakes of saturated fat can raise bad (LDL) Cholesterol levels. It is found in fatty meat and milk products, butter, cheese, chips, and other snacks.
Things you can change to help lower your Cholesterol:
1. Your weight and shape (an increase in weight tends to increase cholesterol levels).
2. Whether you are physically active (it lowers LDL cholesterol).
3. Whether you are under stress.
4. Whether you eat a healthy diet (especially saturated and trans fats increase cholesterol levels).
5. How much alcohol you drink (a small consumption increases the good HDL cholesterol, however more than two standard drinks per day will increase your overall cholesterol).
6. Whether you smoke.
Things you can't change to help lower your Cholesterol:
1. Your gender (men tend to have higher cholesterol levels than women, until menopause when men and women are at equal risk).
2. Your age (cholesterol levels increase with age).
3. Your ethnicity (some ethnic groups have a higher risk than others).
4. Your family history (if your family is affected by cholesterol then you are likely to be affected by it).
How High Is Too High for Cholesterol Levels?
When speaking about cholesterol levels, we generally mean the total cholesterol level. The recommendation for the general public is to have a total cholesterol level below 5.5 mmol / L. Lower levels are recommended to help maintain heart health.
For people at higher risk of heart problems the Heart Foundation recommends a cholesterol level of less than 4.0mmol/L. A more accurate risk assessment can be done if - in addition to the total cholesterol level - the different lipid groups are measured in the blood: the 'good' HDL cholesterol, the 'bad' LDL cholesterol and the triglycerides. Triglycerides don't contain cholesterol, but they may also be a risk to heart health if elevated.
If you are worried that you don't have a healthy diet or have any concerns about your cholesterol level or any aspect of your heart health, your general practitioner, practice nurse, dietitian or pharmacist should always be your first point of contact.
