Average non-HDL cholesterol levels in South Africa

South Africa: Average non-HDL cholesterol levels was 3 in 2018. ▬ Flat

Latest (2018)
3
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
146th
of 191 countries
All-time high
3.2
in 1980
All-time low
3
in 2017
Years of data
39
1980–2018

Average non-HDL cholesterol levels in South Africa, 1980–2018

01231980199920181980: 3.21981: 3.21982: 3.21983: 3.21984: 3.21985: 3.21986: 3.21987: 3.21988: 3.21989: 3.21990: 3.21991: 3.21992: 3.21993: 3.21994: 3.21995: 3.21996: 3.21997: 3.21998: 3.21999: 3.22000: 3.22001: 3.22002: 3.22003: 3.22004: 3.22005: 3.22006: 3.22007: 3.22008: 3.22009: 3.22010: 3.22011: 3.22012: 3.22013: 3.12014: 3.12015: 3.12016: 3.12017: 32018: 3

Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 3 for average non-hdl cholesterol levels in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, average non-hdl cholesterol levels in South Africa peaked at 3.2 in 1980 and was at its lowest, 3, in 2017.

That places South Africa 146th out of 191 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 3.2 3.2 3.2 10
1990s 3.2 3.2 3.2 10
2000s 3.2 3.2 3.2 10
2010s 3.11 3 3.2 9

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 146 Benin 3 compare
  2. 146 Bhutan 3 compare
  3. 146 Eritrea 3 compare
  4. 146 Mauritania 3 compare
  5. 146 Mozambique 3 compare
  6. 146 Qatar 3 compare
  7. 146 Tajikistan 3 compare

See the full ranking of 191 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is average non-hdl cholesterol levels in South Africa?
Average non-hdl cholesterol levels in South Africa was 3 in 2018, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest average non-hdl cholesterol levels recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 3.2 in 1980.
What is the lowest average non-hdl cholesterol levels recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 3 in 2017.
How does South Africa rank for average non-hdl cholesterol levels?
South Africa ranks 146th out of 191 countries with data for 2018.
Is average non-hdl cholesterol levels rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 6.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average non-HDL cholesterol levels. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 39 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Average non-HDL cholesterol levels
Source
World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
191 places, 7,449 data points, 1980–2018
Last refreshed

The estimated average level of non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) cholesterol, commonly known as "bad cholesterol". Healthy levels are considered to be under 4mmol/L. Elevated levels of non-HDL cholesterol are a risk factor for chronic complications, including cardiovascular disease, and premature death.