"282 Factors You Can Control Diet Cholesterol is found in foods that come from animal sources, such as egg yolks, meat, an d cheese. Some foods have fats that raise your cholesterol level. For example, saturated fat raises your low - density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level more than anything else in your diet . Saturated fat is found in some meats, dairy products, chocolate, baked goods, and deep - fried and processed foods. Trans fatty acids ( trans fats) raise your LDL cholesterol and lower your high - density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Trans fats are made when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil to harden it. Trans fats are f ound in some fried and processed foods. Limiting foods with cholesterol, saturated fat, and trans fats can help you control your cholesterol levels. Physical Activity and Weight Lack of physical activity can lead to weight gain. Being overweight tends to r aise your LDL level, lower your HDL level, and increase your total cholesterol level. (Total cholesterol is a measure of the total amount of cholesterol in your blood, including LDL and HDL.) Routine physical activity can help you lose weight and lower you r LDL cholesterol. Being physically active also can help you raise your HDL cholesterol level. Factors You Can’t Control Heredity High blood cholesterol can run in families. An inherited condition called familial hypercholesterolemia causes very high LDL c holesterol. (“Inherited” means the condition is passed from parents to children through genes.) This condition begins at birth, and it may cause a heart attack at an early age. Age and Sex Starting at puberty, men often have lower levels of HDL cholesterol than women. As women and men age, their LDL cholesterol levels often rise. Before age 55, women usually have lower LDL cholesterol levels than men. However, after age 55, women can have higher LDL levels than men. How Is High Blood Cholesterol Diagnosed?"