High cholesterol has no symptoms but can lead to serious health issues like heart disease and stroke. Over 33.5% of American adults have high cholesterol. Nutrition and lifestyle choices significantly impact cholesterol levels. Eating a heart-healthy diet low in unhealthy fats, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, losing excess weight, and drinking alcohol in moderation can all help lower cholesterol. Maintaining these lifestyle habits is important for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and other health conditions related to high cholesterol.

1. How Nutrition Affects
our Cholesterol

2. Background
● Waxy fat-like substance
● Your body needs cholesterol
● Can lead to heart disease or stroke
● 33.5% (77.1 Million) American adults
have bad cholesterol
● High cholesterol has no symptoms

3. Importance
● Diseases that can be caused from high calorie intake
● Cardiovascular disease
● Atherosclerosis (a progressive disease characterized by the accumulation of lipids and
fibrous elements in the arteries)
● Metabolism
● Type 2 diabetes
● Osteoperosis
Omoigui Sota, “Immunity and Ageing”, BiomedCentral.com
https://immunityageing.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1742-4933-4-1

4. Eat heart-healthy foods
● Choose healthier fats
● Eliminate trans fat
● Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids
Exercise on most days of the week and increase your physical activity
● Exercise can improve cholesterol.
Quit smoking
● If you smoke, stop. Quitting might improve your HDL cholesterol level. And the benefits don't end there.
Losing weight
● Carrying even a few extra pounds contributes to high cholesterol. Losing as little as 5 to 10 percent of your
weight can improve cholesterol levels.
Drink alcohol only in moderation
● Moderate use of alcohol has been linked with higher levels of HDL cholesterol
What lifestyle changes can you do to better your cholesterol.

5. ● Leading causes of high cholesterol
● 73.5 million adults (31.7%)
● Fewer than 1 out of every 3 adults (29.5%)
● Twice the risk
● Women vs. Men

6. What did we learn?

7. Citations
“Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 30 Apr. 2015, www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_cholesterol.htm.
“High Cholesterol Facts.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 17 Mar. 2015, www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/facts.htm.