Risk factors

Factors that can increase your risk of unhealthy cholesterol levels include:

• Poor diet. Eating too much saturated fat or trans fats can result in unhealthy cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are found in fatty cuts of meat and full-fat dairy products. Trans fats are often found in packaged snacks or desserts.
• Obesity. Having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater puts you at risk of high cholesterol.
• Lack of exercise. Exercise helps boost your body's HDL, the "good," cholesterol.
• Smoking. Cigarette smoking may lower your level of HDL, the "good," cholesterol.
• Alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can increase your total cholesterol level.
• Age. Even young children can have unhealthy cholesterol, but it's much more common in people over 40. As you age, your liver becomes less able to remove LDL cholesterol.