Cholesterol levels are affected by • What you eat. Eating too much saturated fat, trans fat • in foods that come from animals, such as meats, whole milk, egg yolks, butter, and cheese. • Trans fat is found in fried foods and packaged foods, such as cookies, crackers, and chips. • Your weight. Being overweight may increase triglycerides and decrease HDL (good cholesterol). • Your activity level. Lack of physical activity can lower your HDL. • Your age and gender. After you reach age 20, your cholesterol naturally begins to rise. • In men, cholesterol generally levels off after age 50. • In women, it stays fairly low until menopause. Then it rises to about the same level as in men. • Some diseases. Certain diseases may raise your risk of high cholesterol. These include hypothyroidism, chronic kidney disease, and some types of liver disease. • Your family history. High cholesterol may run in your family. If family members have or had high cholesterol, you may also have it. • Cigarette smoking. Smoking can lower your HDL cholesterol. • Certain medicines. Some medicines can raise triglyceride levels and lower HDL (good) cholesterol levels. These medicines include thiazide diuretics, beta-blockers, estrogen, and corticosteroids.