That s your total cholesterol reading. What was the rest of your lipid profile? What needs to be taken into account is your TC:HDL ratio. A lower ratio is better as this indicates that you have high levels of HDL- which prevents cholesterol deposits building up in the arteries- this means that long term you are less at risk from heart disease. 5.3 is a little high. Total cholesterol should be 5mmol/l and your LDL level under 3mmol/l. Is there a family history of HC? Life style changes are the best way to go at the moment. Unless there is a family history, your reading is not really an indication for Statins (which reduce the cholesterol in the blood.) Try and ensure that you reduce saturated fat in your diet as much as possible and exercise- this will raise your HDL. Also try and stay as close to your ideal weight as possible. Sometimes high cholesterol is not life style induced, your high cholesterol might be caused by a condition that runs in the family called familial hypercholesterolaemia. This affects about one in 500 people in the UK. Do you have any other medical conditions? Certain medications, poorly controlled diabetes, thyroid problems, some kidney and liver diseases can also affect blood lipid levels. Try not to worry, 5.3 isn t alarming. In the UK, 2 in 3 adults in have a total cholesterol level of 5.0 mmol/l or above.