High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.

• High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease.
• About 17% of adult Americans aged 20 years and older have high total cholesterol (240 mg/dL or above).
• The average blood cholesterol level in adult Americans is about 203 mg/dL.
• In 2004, there were 6.5 million visits to doctors’ offices that included a cholesterol test being done or ordered.
• Among African Americans, about 16.6% of women and 12.5% of men have high total cholesterol.
• Among Mexican Americans, about 12.7% of women and 17.6% of men have high total cholesterol.
• Among whites, 17.4% of women and 17.0% of men have high cholesterol.
• The percentage of persons aged 20–74 years with high cholesterol dropped from 33% in 1960–1962 to 17% in 1999–2002. During that same time period, the average blood cholesterol levels in adults dropped from 222 mg/dL to 203 mg/dL.
• The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that all adults have their cholesterol checked once every 5 years.
• In 2005, 73% of adults reported that that they had their cholesterol checked within the previous 5 years, according to data from CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Some 23% reported that they never had their cholesterol checked.
• According to data from CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2005), 75.7% of whites, 73.7% of African Americans, and 52% of Hispanics reported having had their cholesterol checked within the previous 5 years.

For more information about cholesterol see: About High Blood Cholesterol