Some people say, “I rarely eat meat and I’m not fat, why is my cholesterol still so high?” In fact, the mechanism that causes elevated cholesterol in our body is not that simple, and it can be caused by other factors besides the high cholesterol foods we often eat. Let’s learn more about the mystery between food and cholesterol. There are many factors that affect hypercholesterolemia, and most of the sources of cholesterol in the blood are synthesized by the liver itself, in addition to some of them coming from food. Therefore, it is not only eating meat and eggs that affects blood lipids, there are many factors that affect high cholesterol. Obesity: Body fat is the raw material for cholesterol synthesis, and obese people are more likely to have problems with sugar and lipid metabolism disorders, which in turn can lead to higher cholesterol in the body. Genetics: The cholesterol synthesis mechanism is faulty and cholesterol is high no matter how much you eat. Age: Older people have less bile secretion and poorer cholesterol metabolism in the body, and cholesterol will rise with age. Excessive sugar intake: Too much refined sugar and sweets can increase triglycerides, which are transported into the circulation by LDL cholesterol. Insufficient intake of dietary fiber: Dietary fiber can combine with choline in the digestive tract, which helps to convert more cholesterol into bile salts and be excreted from the body, causing cholesterol to drop; conversely, if the intake is insufficient, cholesterol will tend to rise. Nutritional imbalance: Lack of calcium and vitamin C will affect the metabolism of cholesterol. Bad habits: Long-term smoking will damage the endothelium of blood vessels and cause cholesterol accumulation, and alcohol abuse will increase triglycerides in the body. Lack of exercise: Insufficient exercise tends to make fat accumulation, leading to obesity and affecting lipid metabolism. Influence of other diseases: Patients suffering from diabetes, hypothyroidism, chronic liver disease, renal insufficiency or chronic renal failure are also prone to elevated cholesterol or triglycerides. Medication factors: long-term use of thiazide diuretics, glucocorticoids, beta-blockers and oral contraceptives can also cause elevated blood lipids.