September is National Cholesterol Education Month

September is National Cholesterol Education Month, a good time to get your blood cholesterol checked and take steps to lower it if it is high. National Cholesterol Education Month is also a good time to learn about lipid profiles and about food and lifestyle choices that help you reach personal cholesterol goals. Below you will find some information about cholesterol and a summary of CDC programs that address cholesterol across the country. You will also find a few fact sheets and publications about cholesterol, as well as links to useful consumer and health care provider information on our partner Web sites.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in your body and many foods. Your body needs cholesterol to function normally and makes all that you need. Too much cholesterol can build up in your arteries. After a while, these deposits narrow your arteries, putting you at risk for heart disease and stroke.

How do you know if your cholesterol is high?

High cholesterol doesn’t have any symptoms. As a result, many people do not know that their cholesterol levels are too high. However, doctors can do a simple blood test to check your cholesterol. High cholesterol can be controlled through lifestyle changes and medications.

It’s important to check your cholesterol levels. High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. People who are overweight or obese and those who have a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease are at especially high risk of developing high cholesterol.

How often should you have your cholesterol checked?

The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) recommends that adults aged 20 years or older have their cholesterol checked every 5 years.

A simple blood test called a lipoprotein profile can measure your total cholesterol levels, including LDL (low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol), HDL (high-density lipoprotein, or “good” cholesterol), and triglycerides.

The chart below shows the ideal cholesterol levels for adults—

* Optimal for people at risk of heart disease.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following optimal lipid levels for children and adolescents (aged 12-19 years)—⁴

How many Americans have high cholesterol?

More than 98 million Americans have total cholesterol levels at or above 200 mg/dL, which is above healthy levels. More than 34 million of these people have levels of 240 mg/dL or higher, which puts them at high risk for heart disease.¹

Can children and adolescence have high cholesterol?

Yes. High cholesterol can develop in early childhood and adolescence, and your risk increases as your weight increases.² In the United States, more than one-third (31%) of youth aged 12–19 years have at least one abnormal lipid level.³ It is important for children over 2 years of age to have their cholesterol checked, if they are overweight/obese or have a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease.⁴

If you have high cholesterol, what can you do to lower it?

Your doctor may prescribe medications to treat your high cholesterol.⁵ In addition, you can lower your cholesterol levels through lifestyle changes—

• Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Getting at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate or 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity a week.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Don’t smoke.

The National Cholesterol Education Program has developed specific recommendations about cholesterol treatment for people at increased risk, such as those with a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease.

CDC Programs That Address Cholesterol

National Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program. Since 1998, CDC has funded state health departments’ efforts to reduce the number of people with heart disease or stroke. Health departments in 41 states and the District of Columbia currently receive funding for these activities. These programs promote policy and system level changes at the state and community level to support heart-healthy and stroke-free living and working conditions. For more information, please visit our Web site.

WISEWOMAN. The WISEWOMAN program helps women with little or no health insurance reduce their risk for heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases. The program helps women aged 40 to 64 years quit smoking, improve their diet, and increase physical activity. WISEWOMAN also offers tests for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. CDC funds 21 WISEWOMAN projects in 19 states and two tribal organizations. For more information, please see the WISEWOMAN Web site.

Lipid Standardization Program. CDC’s Environmental Health Laboratory serves as the world reference laboratory for measuring cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoproteins, and low-density lipoproteins. Doctors require accurate measurements to diagnose and properly treat people with high cholesterol levels. The laboratory helps ensure the quality of about 35 million cholesterol measurements made annually in the United States. For more information, please see http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/dls/cholesterol.htm.

Cholesterol Resources

Cholesterol fact sheets:

• In English:  http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/library/fs_cholesterol.htm
• En Espanol:  http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/library/fs_cholesterol_spanish.htm
• State Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Programs Address High Blood Cholesterol

Other resources on heart disease and stroke:

• http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/library/fact_sheets.htm
   
• Trends in Cholesterol Screening and Awareness of High Blood Cholesterol—United States, 1991–2003. MMWR—Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports. September 2005. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5435a2.htm

For More Information

For additional information about cholesterol, please see the Web sites of the following CDC partners:

• The American Heart Association*
• Cholesterol Education Month Website of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
• The National Cholesterol Education Program

References

1. American Heart Association. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2009 Update. Available on the American Heart Association Web site.*
2. Dai S, Fulton JE, Harrist RB, Grunbaum JA, Steffen LM, Labarthe DR. Blood lipids in children: age-related patterns and association with body-fat indices: Project HeartBeat! American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2009;37(IS):S56–S64.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevalence of abnormal lipid levels and eligibility for therapeutic lifestyle counseling among youth—United States 1999–2006. MMWR—Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2009.
4. Daniels, SR, Greer, FR, the Committee on Nutrition. Lipid Screening and Cardiovascular Health in Childhood. Am J Ped 2008; 122(1): 198-208.
5. National Cholesterol Education Program. Executive Summary of the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (ATP III). Available on the National Heart, Lung and Blood Web site at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/cholesterol/.

 
*Links to non–Federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at this link.
 

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Page last reviewed: August 27, 2009
Page last modified: August 27, 2009

Content source: Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion