Average HDL cholesterol levels in Australia
Australia: Average HDL cholesterol levels was 1.5 in 2018. ▲ Rising
Average HDL cholesterol levels in Australia, 1980–2018
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Australia recorded 1.5 for average hdl cholesterol levels in 2018. That is the highest value across all 39 years on record.
That represents a change of up 7.1% on the previous year and up 7.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average hdl cholesterol levels in Australia peaked at 1.5 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 1.3, in 1982.
That places Australia 3rd out of 191 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 39 years of available data.
Average HDL cholesterol levels in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.4 | — |
| 1981 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1.3 | -7.1% |
| 1983 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1.4 | +7.7% |
| 2000 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.5 | +7.1% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 1.5 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.4, 1.1× the median. (61 countries reporting)
- Australia's 1.5 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.1, 1.4× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.32 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.31 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.41 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 1 Japan 1.6 compare
- 1 Luxembourg 1.6 compare
- 3 Austria 1.5 compare
- 3 Belgium 1.5 compare
- 3 Czechia 1.5 compare
- 3 Finland 1.5 compare
- 3 France 1.5 compare
- 3 Germany 1.5 compare
- 3 Iceland 1.5 compare
- 3 Ireland 1.5 compare
- 3 Latvia 1.5 compare
- 3 Sweden 1.5 compare
- 3 Switzerland 1.5 compare
- 3 United Kingdom 1.5 compare
More reference data data for Australia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 28.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 118.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 170.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 13.9 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average hdl cholesterol levels in Australia?
- Average hdl cholesterol levels in Australia was 1.5 in 2018, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average hdl cholesterol levels recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.5 in 2018.
- What is the lowest average hdl cholesterol levels recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3 in 1982.
- How does Australia rank for average hdl cholesterol levels?
- Australia ranks 3rd out of 191 countries with data for 2018.
- Is average hdl cholesterol levels rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia 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 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
The estimated average level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, commonly known as "good cholesterol". Healthy levels are considered to be 1mmol/L or above for men or 1.2mmol/L or above for women.