The amount of cholesterol in human blood can vary from 3.6
mmol/liter to 7.8 mmol/liter. The National Health Service (NHS), UK,
says that any reading over 6 mmol/liter is high, and will significantly raise
the risk of arterial disease. The UK Department of Health recommends a target
cholesterol level of under 5 mmo/liter. Unfortunately, two-thirds of all UK adults have
a total cholesterol level of at least five (average men 5.5, average women
5.6).
Below is a list of cholesterol levels and how most doctors
would categorize them in mg/dl (milligrams/deciliter) and 5mmol/liter
(millimoles/liter).
Desirable - Less
than 200 mg/dL
Bordeline high -
200 to 239 mg/dL
High - 240 mg/dL
and above
Optimum level:
less than 5mmol/liter
Mildly high
cholesterol level: between 5 to 6.4mmol/liter
Moderately high
cholesterol level: between 6.5 to 7.8mmol/liter
Very high
cholesterol level: above 7.8mmol/liter