As a type of lipid (fat) produced by liver in the body, cholesterol is an essential part of the normal functioning of the body. Cholesterol is necessary for your health of body since all cells are surrounded by lipid layers that include cholesterol. For many people, the abnormally high level of cholesterol causes health problems, such as atherosclerosis, heart attack, and strokes. It is therefore important to assess what are the cholesterol causes that can threaten people's health.

1.) Nutrition

The first cause is in nutrition. With a variety of fast food options that are within budget for most people, cholesterol intake is particularly higher than what it has been in the past. Fast food is not the only culprit though. People today consume a lot of ice cream, cheese, pies, and other snacks and desserts, so they tend to maintain elevated levels of cholesterol in their body.

2.) Lack of Exercise

The next cause is the lack of exercises. For some people, this is an unfortunate side effect from jobs that are mostly sedentary, but overall, people generally exercise far less than they should do each day. Moreover, because their intake in food has increased with decreased amount of exercises, it is not hard to see that daily amount of cholesterol is bound to accumulate over time.

3.) Complication with other existing diseases

The third cause of cholesterol increase is the complication with other existing diseases. For example, if a person already suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure, it is much likely that this person has a problem with cholesterol. It is not so much that diabetes or high blood pressure causes an increase in cholesterol level, but rather, those diseases tend to be accompanied by elevated levels of cholesterol. That's why it is so important to maintain nutrition and exercise regularly because some people with previous family history of heart disease or diabetes may already have higher levels of cholesterol than other people.

4.) Age & Gender

The fourth cause is with age and gender. The level of cholesterol is related to the individual's age and gender. For most people, cholesterol level increases once they go past the age of 20. In terms of gender, men have their cholesterol levels increasing until they are in their 50's. For women, the level of cholesterol remains low until menopause, but afterwards, it becomes a similar level as men. Therefore, someone with a high cholesterol level in their 20's should seriously watch his or her cholesterol level since it can become even higher with time.

5.) Smoking

The fifth cause is smoking. Along with nutrition and exercise, smoking is one of the causes that can be controlled. It also happens to be one of the most detrimental activities to the health in general, and persistent smoking can cause increases in cholesterol level, as well as complications with heart and lung diseases. In particular, combining smoking with drinking alcohol can drastically elevate cholesterol, so it is something that people should completely avoid to maintain their overall health and a normal cholesterol level.

Overall, these five causes of cholesterol should not come too much of a surprise to most people. After all, violating these five causes can cause other troubles even if cholesterol levels do not change right away.