Adoption of a healthier lifestyle, including aerobic exercise and a low-fat diet, should reduce the prevalence of obesity, high cholesterol, and, ultimately, the risk of coronary heart disease.

First, see your doctor. A simple blood test checks for high cholesterol. You may be asked to fast overnight before the test. Just knowing your total cholesterol level isn¡¯t enough. A complete lipid profile measures your LDL, total cholesterol, HDL (the good cholesterol), and triglycerides. The guidelines say healthy adults should have this analysis every 5 years.

Next, set dietary goals based on the guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Program.

Strive for daily intake of less than 7% of your calories from saturated fat and less than 200 mg of cholesterol from the food you eat.

You may eat up to 30% of your calories from total fat, but most should be from unsaturated fat, which doesn¡¯t raise cholesterol levels.

Add more soluble fiber (found in cereal grains, beans, peas, and many fruits and vegetables) and foods that contain plant stanols and sterols (included in certain margarines and salad dressings) to boost your LDL-lowering power. The best way to know what¡¯s in the foods you eat is to read the nutrition label.

Lower cholesterol levels start at the grocery store. Read food labels, and buy foods low in saturated fat and low in cholesterol. To help you know what to look for when grocery shopping, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has a partial shopping list for you.

Breads - Whole wheat, rye, pumpernickel, or white

Soft tortillas - Corn or whole wheat

Hot and cold cereals - Except granola or muesli

Rice - White, brown, wild, basmati, or jasmine

Grains - Bulgur, couscous, quinoa, barley, hominy, or millet

Fruits - Any fresh, canned, dried, or frozen without added sugar

Vegetables - Any fresh, frozen, or (low-salt) canned without cream or cheese sauce

Fresh or frozen juices without added sugar

Fat-free or 1% milk

Cheese with 3 grams of fat or less per serving

Low-fat or nonfat yogurt

Lean cuts of meat - Eye of round beef, top round, sirloin, or pork tenderloin

Lean or extra lean ground beef

Chicken or turkey - White or light meat, skin removed

Fish - Most white meat fish is very low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol.

Tuna - Light meat canned in water

Peanut butter, reduced fat

Eggs, egg whites, egg substitutes

Low-fat cookies or angel food cake

Low-fat frozen yogurt, sorbet, sherbet

Popcorn without butter or oil, pretzels, baked tortilla chips

Margarine - Soft, diet, tub, or liquid

Vegetable oil - Canola, olive, corn, peanut, or sunflower

Nonstick cooking spray

Sparkling water, tea, lemonade

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