New data from preventative health service, Thriva, has revealed three in 10 people in the UK have high cholesterol.
Cholesterol is a fatty substance made by the liver and carried in the blood.
It is vital for the normal functioning of the body, but excessively high levels can cause a range of health problems.
Health problems include heart attacks, strokes, angina, high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease.
The recent findings by Thriva come from its latest Quarterly Health Index, which examines health trends of its 35,000 customers.
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According to the data, over 30 per cent of those aged 18 to 24 had high total cholesterol levels, which is the same as the average for the UK population on the whole.
For people over the age of 45, more than 47 per cent reported high cholesterol when tested. That’s almost half of those aged 45 and older.
Twenty-two per cent of people between the ages of 25 and 34 had high cholesterol when tested.
“High cholesterol is something that can affect you at any age,” said Thriva Medical Director Dr Vishal Shah.
“While current guidelines suggest most people only need to have their cholesterol tested once they are over 40, our data shows everyone should in fact be paying closer attention.”
“The good news is in most cases people are able to lower their cholesterol levels with a few simple changes to their daily lifestyle and diet.”
Thriva nutritionist Aisling Moran recommends the following five tips to help lower cholesterol.
Choose the right kinds of fat in your diet
Avoid saturated and trans fats, instead opting for monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
These can be found in foods like oily fish, olive oil, nuts and avocados.
Eat soluble fibre
Soluble fibre, which lowers cholesterol levels, is found in oats, peas, beans, lentils, fruit and whole grains.
Exercise five days a week
This should include a mix of cardio and strength training, and can help remove excess cholesterol from the body.
Don’t drink too much
Avoid drinking too much alcohol and aim to have several alcohol-free days a week.
Don’t smoke
Smoking stops the body from being able to send excess cholesterol back to the liver to be broken down.