High cholesterol is responsible for 70% of heart disease and is the leading killer of both men and women after the age of 45. It leads to arterial blockage, heart attacks, hardening of the arteries, blood clots, clogged arteries, and stroke. There are a number of factors that influence a person's cholesterol levels. They include diet, age, weight, gender, genetics, diseases and lifestyle.
Diet
Most of us consume foods high in dietary fat. Foods which are fried or are high in animal fats will directly raise blood serum levels of "bad cholesterol"
Foods which are high in simple carbohydrates such as sugars, bread, pasta and sweets indirectly raise "bad cholesterol" levels as they are converted into "bad cholesterol" by the liver. This explains why some vegetarians have high cholesterol.
Age
The blood levels of cholesterol tend to increase as we age--a factor doctors consider when deciding treatment options for patients with certain cholesterol levels.
Weight
People who are overweight are more likely to have high blood cholesterol levels. They also tend to have lower HDL levels. The location of the excess weight also seems to play a role in cholesterol levels. A greater risk of increased cholesterol levels occurs when that extra weight is centered in the abdominal region, as opposed to the legs or buttocks.
Gender
Men tend to have higher LDL levels and lower HDL levels than do women, especially before age 50. After age 50, when women are in their post-menopausal years, decreasing amounts of estrogen are thought to cause the LDL level to rise.
Genetics
Some people are genetically predisposed to having high levels of cholesterol. A variety of minor genetic defects can lead to excessive production of LDLs or a decreased capacity for their removal. This tendency towards high cholesterol levels is often passed on from parents to their children. If your parents have high cholesterol, you need to be tested to see if your cholesterol levels are also elevated.
Disease
Diseases such as diabetes can lower HDL levels, increase triglycerides and accelerate the development of atherosclerosis. High blood pressure, or hypertension, can also hasten the development of atherosclerosis, and some medications used to treat it can increase LDL and triglycerides and decrease HDL levels.
Lifestyle
Factors that negatively affect cholesterol levels also include high levels of stress, which can raise total cholesterol levels, and cigarette smoking, which can lower a person's HDL level as much as 15 percent. On the other hand, strenuous exercise can increase HDL levels and decrease LDL levels. Exercise also can help reduce body weight, which, in turn, can help reduce cholesterol. Recent research has shown that moderate alcohol use (one drink per day for women, two drinks a day for men) can raise HDL cholesterol and therefore reduce the risk of heart attack. Despite such research, it is difficult to recommend the habitual use of alcohol because there are also negative health consequences associated with alcohol use and a high potential for abuse.
