The known risk factors for high cholesterol that you cannot
control include:
- Gender -- After menopause, a woman's
LDL-cholesterol level goes up, as does her risk for heart
disease.
- Age -- Your risk increases if you are a man aged 45
years or older or a woman aged 55 years or older.
- 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).
The factors for high cholesterol that you can control
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
levels. It also helps you lose weight.