Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsOverviewHow Common Is It?EthnicityAge & GenderCauses and Risk FactorsScreening Rates
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Overview
How Common Is It?
Ethnicity
Age & Gender
Causes and Risk Factors
Screening Rates
About 28 million (1.5%) Americans ages 20 and over hadhigh cholesterolfrom 2015 to 2018.
This article highlights important facts and statistics you need to know about high cholesterol.
GIPhotoStock/Getty
High Cholesterol
High cholesterol occurs when too much fat (lipids) is in your blood. These lipids can build up in your arteries and form fatty deposits known as “plaque.” Plaque formation leads to atherosclerosis, which increases the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
There are two main types of cholesterol:low-density lipoprotein (LDL), often referred to as “bad” cholesterol, andhigh-density lipoprotein (HDL), commonly called “good” cholesterol. A total blood cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL or greater is considered high in adults.
Lower “Bad” LDL Cholesterol While Raising “Good” HDL Cholesterol
How Is Cholesterol Measured?Cholesterol levelsare measured via a blood test called a lipid panel. Your total cholesterol level is a combination of levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL).
How Is Cholesterol Measured?
Cholesterol levelsare measured via a blood test called a lipid panel. Your total cholesterol level is a combination of levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL).
How Common Is High Cholesterol?
More than one out of every 10 Americans has high total cholesterol. Between 2015 and 2018, approximately 15.8 million females and 12.2 million male adults in the United States had high cholesterol.
Nearly three out of every 10 people in the United States have high LDL cholesterol (LDL level of 130 mg/dL or more). About two out of every 10 people in the United States have low HDL cholesterol (an HDL level of less than 40 mg/dL).
Adults with high cholesterol in the United States have decreased in the past 20 years, from 18.3% in 1999–2000 to 10.5% in 2017–2018.
From 2015 to 2018, the percentage of adults in the United States with high total cholesterol was lower overall for non-Hispanic Black adults than for non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Asian, or Hispanic adults.
Non-Hispanic Asian men have the highest rates of high cholesterol among men, while non-Hispanic White women have the highest rates of high cholesterol among women. Non-Hispanic Black men have the lowest rates of high cholesterol, while Hispanic women have the lowest rates of high cholesterol among women.
Women are slightly more likely than men to have high cholesterol. Between 2015 and 2018, just over 10% of men and about 12% of women in the United States had high cholesterol.
Causes of High Cholesterol and Risk Factors
Certain lifestyle behaviors and health conditions as well as genetics can raise your risk of high cholesterol. Risk factors and causes of high cholesterol include:
Why Is My Cholesterol High?
High Cholesterol Screening Rates
Lipid panels to screen for high cholesterol are recommended at least every four to six years for adults ages 20 and older at low risk for heart attack or stroke. Screenings are often recommended for those at increased risk of heart attack or stroke.
In 2019, 86.6% of adults in the United States reported their blood cholesterol was checked within five years, 8.6% said they never had it checked, and 3.9% reported it had not been checked in the past five years.
Summary
More than one out of every 10 Americans have high cholesterol, a major risk factor for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. The number of Americans with high cholesterol has decreased in the past 20 years. High cholesterol rates are highest overall among Americans ages 40–59 and lowest among those ages 20–39. Women are slightly more likely than men to have high cholesterol. Overall, non-Hispanic Black people have the lowest rates of high cholesterol of any U.S. ethnic group, while non-Hispanic Asian people have the highest rates.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Tsao CW, Aday AW, Almarzooq ZI, et al.Heart disease and stroke statistics—2022 update: A report from the American Heart Association.Circulation. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001052
American Heart Association.What is cholesterol?
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Lipid panel.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Knowing your risk of high cholesterol.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Blood cholesterol causes and risk factors.
American Heart Association.How to get your cholesterol tested.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
