Cholesterol levels in young adults can predict heart disease risk.

ISLAMABAD -- A recent study investigates the relationship between cholesterol levels in young adulthood and cardiovascular risk in later life - with interesting recommendationsfor further research. Share on PinterestA recent study looks at the long term impact of high cholesterol levels. Research has already well documented that high cholesterol levels can lead to heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States, and stroke, the fifth leading cause of death. Cholesterol is a fatty substance that the liver and foods we eat, such as eggs, cheese, and certain meat products produce. Cholesterol is necessary for the body to function.

However, too much "bad" cholesterol, which is also called low-density lipoprotein (LDL), can clog the arteries with a fatty buildup, increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, or peripheral artery disease. Scientists have also linked high total cholesterol to overweight, lack of exercise, smoking, and alcohol consumption. More than 12% of adults in the U.S. aged 20 years and over have total cholesterol levels above 240 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl), which doctors consider high. Of children and adolescents aged 6-19 years, some 7% have high total cholesterol...

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