You probably know your blood pressure. You might even know your weight down to the pound. But most of us walk around with little idea of what our cholesterol is really doing.
According to a September 2026 fact sheet from the World Health Organization, about 39 percent of adults worldwide have raised total cholesterol. For almost everyone who has it, the condition is completely silent.
The share is slightly higher among women than men. Among women, 40 percent have raised cholesterol. In men, the figure is 37 percent. WHO estimates that elevated LDL cholesterol was behind about 3.6 million deaths in 2023.
Why high cholesterol gives you no warning
LDL, the harmful form of cholesterol, is deposited inside artery walls. There it slowly feeds the plaque that can cause a heart attack, a stroke or peripheral artery disease. The process produces no pain and no discomfort while it builds up.
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The exception is extremely high levels. The US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute notes that some people develop fatty bumps called xanthomas on their elbows, knees, hands or buttocks.
A grayish ring around the cornea can appear too. These signs usually point to an inherited form of very high cholesterol. For everyone else, there is no telltale symptom.
Who is at highest risk
Family history matters. WHO notes that markedly raised cholesterol in a person, or a heart attack at a young age in a close relative, should prompt consideration of the inherited form, called familial hypercholesterolemia.
Daily habits matter too. Diets heavy in saturated and trans fats, physical inactivity, obesity and type 2 diabetes all push LDL higher.
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What the numbers mean
The only way to know your cholesterol is a blood test called a lipid panel. It measures total cholesterol, LDL, HDL (the protective kind) and triglycerides.
As a rough reference, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists a desirable total cholesterol at about 150 mg/dL. For LDL, the desirable level is about 100 mg/dL. People at higher cardiovascular risk aim for lower numbers.
What you can do today
The WHO fact sheet highlights diet as central. Cutting back on saturated and trans fats, moving more, avoiding tobacco and keeping alcohol modest all help pull LDL down.
Specific food choices add up. Simple swaps toward foods higher in soluble fiber such as oats, beans and apples can meaningfully lower LDL for many adults.
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If medication is needed, statins remain the first-line treatment in almost all guidelines. WHO notes they cut heart attacks, strokes and deaths.
If high cholesterol runs in your family, or you have never had a lipid panel done, WHO urges asking your primary care provider for one.
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This article is made and published by Aksel Kryhlmand, who may have used AI in the preparation.