Average non-HDL cholesterol levels in United States

United States: Average non-HDL cholesterol levels was 3.3 in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
3.3
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
95th
of 191 countries
All-time high
4
in 1980
All-time low
3.3
in 2015
Years of data
39
1980–2018

Average non-HDL cholesterol levels in United States, 1980–2018

012341980199920181980: 41981: 41982: 41983: 3.91984: 3.91985: 3.91986: 3.91987: 3.91988: 3.91989: 3.91990: 3.81991: 3.81992: 3.81993: 3.81994: 3.81995: 3.71996: 3.71997: 3.71998: 3.71999: 3.72000: 3.62001: 3.62002: 3.62003: 3.62004: 3.62005: 3.52006: 3.52007: 3.52008: 3.52009: 3.52010: 3.42011: 3.42012: 3.42013: 3.42014: 3.42015: 3.32016: 3.32017: 3.32018: 3.3

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

Analysis

In 2018, average non-hdl cholesterol levels in United States stood at 3.3. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.

The figure is down 5.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, average non-hdl cholesterol levels in United States peaked at 4 in 1980 and was at its lowest, 3.3, in 2015.

That places United States 95th out of 191 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 3.93 3.9 4 10
1990s 3.75 3.7 3.8 10
2000s 3.55 3.5 3.6 10
2010s 3.36 3.3 3.4 9

Countries ranked near United States

  1. 95 Algeria 3.3 compare
  2. 95 Azerbaijan 3.3 compare
  3. 95 Bahrain 3.3 compare
  4. 95 Barbados 3.3 compare
  5. 95 Bolivia 3.3 compare
  6. 95 Bosnia and Herzegovina 3.3 compare
  7. 95 Cambodia 3.3 compare
  8. 95 China 3.3 compare
  9. 95 Cuba 3.3 compare
  10. 95 Egypt 3.3 compare
  11. 95 Ghana 3.3 compare
  12. 95 Kiribati 3.3 compare
  13. 95 Laos 3.3 compare
  14. 95 Marshall Islands 3.3 compare
  15. 95 Netherlands 3.3 compare
  16. 95 Spain 3.3 compare
  17. 95 Sri Lanka 3.3 compare
  18. 95 Suriname 3.3 compare
  19. 95 Turkey 3.3 compare
  20. 95 Turkmenistan 3.3 compare
  21. 95 United Kingdom 3.3 compare

See the full ranking of 191 places →

More reference data data for United States

All data for United States →

Frequently asked questions

What is average non-hdl cholesterol levels in United States?
Average non-hdl cholesterol levels in United States was 3.3 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 United States?
The highest recorded value was 4 in 1980.
What is the lowest average non-hdl cholesterol levels recorded in United States?
The lowest recorded value was 3.3 in 2015.
How does United States rank for average non-hdl cholesterol levels?
United States ranks 95th out of 191 countries with data for 2018.
Is average non-hdl cholesterol levels rising or falling in United States?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this United States 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.