Research from health website Testjegezondheid.nl, based on blood tests from Dutch participants, reveals that average cholesterol levels in the Netherlands exceed healthy thresholds.
In a cholesterol test involving 1,400 Dutch adults, men averaged 5.36—0.36 above the desired level of 5.0—at an average age of 44. Women fared slightly better at 5.23, with an average age of 43.
Across Europe, average cholesterol levels have been rising since 2006. In the 25 EU countries studied, approximately 1.9 million people die annually from heart disease.
High cholesterol often stems from an unhealthy lifestyle and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
