What Causes High Blood Cholesterol?

Very high cholesterol intake contributes to high blood cholesterol levels, but a more important dietary factor is a high intake of saturated fat. This is found in fatty meat products (such as pies or sausages), full-fat dairy foods, biscuits and cakes.

High cholesterol foods include offal, shellfish, eggs and dairy foods.
Other elements that also influence blood cholesterol levels include genetic factors (high cholesterol levels sometimes run in families) and lifestyle factors, such as lack of exercise.

High blood cholesterol has been implicated in an increased risk of developing atherosclerosis- a build-up on the walls of the arteries, composed primarily of cholesterol.

Athersclerosis is a major factor in both coronary heart disease and strokes, which are two of the most common causes of death in the UK.

Additional Information

• A sign of too much fat in the blood is xanthelasma, which causes yellowish deposits around the eyelids.
• Anyone who has diabetes, is a smoker, is over-weight or has a history of heart or circulatory problems, has an increased risk of a poor blood cholesterol level.
• Soluble fibre is especially important for reducing the amount of cholesterol you absorb from your food. This is found in legumes (peas and beans), oats, fruit and vegetables.