Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found in all parts of the body. Your body makes some cholesterol, and some cholesterol comes from the food you eat.  Your body needs a little bit of cholesterol to work properly. But too much cholesterol can clog your arteries and lead to heart disease.

Function

Cholesterol helps the body produce hormones, bile acid, and vitamin D. Cholesterol moves through the bloodstream to be used by all parts of the body.

Food Sources

Cholesterol is found in eggs, dairy products, meat, and poultry. Egg yolks and organ meats (liver, kidney, sweetbread, and brain) are high in cholesterol. Fish generally contains less cholesterol than other meats, but some shellfish are high in cholesterol. Foods of plant origin (vegetables, fruits, grains, cereals, nuts, and seeds) contain no cholesterol.  Fat content is not a good measure of cholesterol content. For example, liver and other organ meats are low in fat, but very high in cholesterol.

Side Effects

In general, your risk of developing heart disease or atherosclerosis goes up as your level of blood cholesterol increases.

Recommendations

More than half of the adult population has blood cholesterol levels higher than the desirable range. High cholesterol levels often begin in childhood. Some children may be at higher risk due to a family history of high cholesterol.

To lower high cholesterol levels:

1. Limit total fat intake to 25 - 35% of total daily calories. Less than 7% of daily calories should be from saturated fat, no more than 10% should be from polyunsaturated fat, and no more than 20% from monounsaturated fat.
2. Eat less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol per day.
3. Get more fibre in your diet.
4. Lose weight.
5. Increase physical activity.

http://health.nytimes.com

Compelling evidence shows that the atherosclerotic process (buildup of fatty plaque in arteries) begins in childhood and progresses slowly into adulthood. Then it often leads to coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.

Despite substantial success in reducing deaths from coronary heart disease in the past two decades, this disease is still responsible for over 450,000 deaths a year in the United States. Over 43 percent of the people discharged from hospitals for coronary heart disease are under age 65. Many of these adults have children who may have coronary heart disease risk factors that need attention.

Evidence shows that:

1. Atherosclerosis or its precursors begin in young people.
2. Elevated cholesterol levels early in life may play a role in the development of adult atherosclerosis.
3. Eating patterns and genetics affect blood cholesterol levels and coronary heart disease risk.
4. Lowering levels in children and adolescents may be beneficial.
5. Cigarette smoking should be discouraged.
6. Regular aerobic exercise should be encouraged.
7. High blood pressure should be identified and treated.
8. Overweight should be avoided or reduced.
9. Diabetes mellitus should be diagnosed and treated.