Table 3. Cholesterol Levels among Adults Aged 20 and over in the United States Based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for Selected Years (1988 to 1994 through 2011 to 2014).

20 Years and over, age-adjusted	1988–1994	1999–2002	2003–2006	2007–2010	2011–2014
Population with hypercholesterolemia, %a
Both sexes	22.8	25.0	27.7	27.4	27.8
Male	21.1	25.3	27.7	28.0	28.4
Female	24.0	24.3	27.4	26.7	27.3
Population with high cholesterol, %b
Both sexes	20.8	17.3	16.3	13.7	11.9
Male	19.0	16.4	15.1	12.6	10.8
Female	22.0	17.8	17.1	14.4	12.7
Mean serum total cholesterol level, mg/dL
Both sexes	206	203	200	196	192
Male	204	202	198	194	189
Female	207	204	202	198	195

^aSerum total cholesterol ≥240 mg/dL or taking cholesterol-lowering medications; ^bSerum total cholesterol ≥240 mg/dL.