TABLE 1.
Distribution of total cholesterol and LDL‐cholesterol across population characteristics, within our sub‐sample of the UK Biobank.
| n (%) | Total cholesterol | LDL‐direct cholesterol | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal (%) | Above normal (%) | Missing (%) | P value | Normal (%) | Above normal (%) | Missing (%) | P value | ||
| Total population | 337 475 | 25.8 | 69.5 | 4.7 | 25.4 | 69.8 | 4.8 | ||
| Sex | <1 × 10−300 | 3.6 × 10−266 | |||||||
| Women | 181 231 (53.7) | 20.5 | 74.8 | 4.7 | 28.2 | 67.0 | 4.8 | ||
| Men | 156 244 (46.3) | 32.0 | 63.4 | 4.6 | 23.0 | 72.1 | 4.9 | ||
| Age (in years) | <1 × 10−300 | <1 × 10−300 | |||||||
| 39–49 years | 73 848 (21.9) | 30.5 | 65.0 | 4.5 | 29.1 | 66.2 | 4.7 | ||
| 50–59 years | 128 289 (38.0) | 21.4 | 74.0 | 4.6 | 21.3 | 73.9 | 4.8 | ||
| 60–73 years | 135 338 (40.1) | 27.6 | 67.7 | 4.8 | 27.3 | 67.7 | 5.0 | ||
| BMI (in kg/m2) | 1.1 × 10−234 | 7.4 × 10−216 | |||||||
| Underweight, <18.5 kg/m2 | 1673 (0.5) | 29.2 | 65.5 | 5.3 | 37.6 | 57.0 | 5.4 | ||
| Normal, (18.5, 25) kg/m2 | 109 862 (32.6) | 24.6 | 70.8 | 4.6 | 27.3 | 67.9 | 4.8 | ||
| Overweight, (25, 30) kg/m2 | 143 745 (42.6) | 24.3 | 71.1 | 4.6 | 22.8 | 72.4 | 4.8 | ||
| Obese, ≥30 kg/m2 | 81 101 (24.0) | 30.1 | 65.1 | 4.8 | 27.0 | 68.0 | 5.0 | ||
| Missing | 1094 (0.3) | 33.7 | 59.7 | 6.6 | 33.0 | 60.0 | 7.0 | ||
| History of statin use | <1 × 10−300 | <1 × 10−300 | |||||||
| No | 282 026 (83.6) | 18.3 | 77.1 | 4.6 | 17.6 | 77.6 | 4.8 | ||
| Yes | 55 449 (16.4) | 64.5 | 30.8 | 4.7 | 65.0 | 30.1 | 4.9 | ||
| Self‐reported general health | <1 × 10−300 | <1 × 10−300 | |||||||
| Excellent | 56 531 (16.8) | 21.5 | 74.1 | 4.4 | 22.2 | 73.2 | 4.6 | ||
| Good | 197 162 (58.4) | 24.0 | 71.4 | 4.6 | 23.7 | 71.5 | 4.8 | ||
| Fair | 68 619 (20.3) | 31.9 | 63.3 | 4.8 | 30.5 | 64.5 | 5.0 | ||
| Poor | 13 983 (4.1) | 39.2 | 55.7 | 5.1 | 37.5 | 57.2 | 5.3 | ||
| Missing | 1180 (0.4) | 32.5 | 62.7 | 4.8 | 30.5 | 64.2 | 5.3 | ||
Note: Normal ranges of cholesterol are defined using the NHS guidelines for cholesterol levels (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high‐cholesterol/cholesterol‐levels/). Recommended healthy levels are suggested to be below 90 mg/dL (5 mmol/L) for total cholesterol and below 54 mg/dL (3 mmol/L) for LDL‐cholesterol.