Table 2.

Trends in self-reported cholesterol and cholesterol-related behaviors among non-pregnant reproductive-age women (20–49 years), NHANES 1999–2008

	1999–2000 (n = 1,001) % (± SE)	2001–2002 (n = 1,137) % (± SE)	2003–2004 (n = 1,019) % (± SE)	2005–2006 (n = 1,077) % (± SE)	2007–2008 (n = 1,314) % (± SE)	P for trend
Ever had blood cholesterol checked	61.3 (2.9)	61.4 (1.9)	64.1 (1.7)	67.2 (2.0)	65.2 (1.9)	0.002*
Ever told to have high cholesterol level	15.6 (1.2)	12.6 (1.1)	15.9 (1.6)	17.7 (1.2)	18.6 (1.1)	0.012*
Ever told to eat less fat to reduce cholesterol	12.4 (1.3)	9.6 (1.0)	12.2 (1.2)	14.5 (1.0)	15.0 (1.2)	0.025*
Now eating food with less fat and cholesterol	8.7 (1.1)	6.2 (0.9)	9.1 (1.0)	11.0 (0.9)	11.2 (1.0)	0.002*
Ever told to reduce weight to reduce cholesterol	8.1 (1.2)	6.0 (0.8)	8.6 (1.2)	10.2 (1.0)	10.4 (0.8)	0.004*
Now controlling weight/losing weight	5.5 (0.8)	3.6 (0.7)	6.2 (0.9)	8.0 (0.7)	8.4 (0.6)	< 0.001*
Ever told to exercise more to reduce cholesterol	9.5 (1.0)	7.9 (1.3)	10.7 (1.4)	11.2 (1.2)	13.2 (1.0)	0.006*
Now increasing exercise/activity	6.7 (0.7)	4.6 (0.7)	6.8 (1.3)	8.2 (1.0)	9.9 (0.9)	0.002*
Ever told to take prescribed medicine	2.6 (0.8)	2.3 (0.6)	4.9 (0.9)	5.9 (1.0)	7.4 (0.9)	< 0.001*
Now taking prescribed medicine	1.7 (0.5)	1.9 (0.5)	3.3 (0.8)	3.5 (0.6)	4.4 (0.6)	< 0.001*

Data are weighted to the US population

^*Statistical significance (P < 0.05) over the 5 NHANES cycles between 1999 and 2008