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Missouri Value:
Percentage of adults who reported having their cholesterol checked and being told by a health professional that it was high
Missouri Rank:
Percentage of adults ages 25 and older with less than a high school degree who reported having their cholesterol checked and being told by a health professional that it was high
22.7% - 37.8%
37.9% - 41.0%
41.1% - 42.9%
43.0% - 48.2%
48.3% - 57.1%
No Data
US Value: 36.9 %
Top State(s): Utah: 31.2 %
Bottom State(s): West Virginia: 45.0 %
Definition: Percentage of adults who reported having their cholesterol checked and being told by a health professional that it was high
Data Source and Years(s): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2023
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2026.
High cholesterol is a major and modifiable risk factor for heart disease and stroke, the leading and fifth-leading causes of death in the United States, respectively. Excess low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (also known as LDL or “bad” cholesterol) creates a plaque that narrows arteries and reduces oxygen-rich blood flow. When a coronary artery is blocked and the heart cannot get enough oxygen, the result is a heart attack. Similarly, restricted blood flow to the brain can cause a stroke. An estimated 24.7 million U.S. adults have high total cholesterol (≥ 240 mg/dL).
High cholesterol is influenced by modifiable risk factors like poor diet (eating foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol), overweight and obesity, physical inactivity and smoking
According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of high cholesterol is higher among:
High cholesterol is an ideal target for prevention and control strategies because it is a modifiable risk factor that can be managed through therapeutic lifestyle changes and health care interventions, including:
To identify high cholesterol, which usually has no signs or symptoms, the American Heart Association recommends adults age 20 and older have their cholesterol checked with a blood test every four to six years.
Healthy People 2030 has many objectives related to heart disease and stroke, including:
Kuklina, Elena V., Margaret D. Carroll, Kate M. Shaw, and Rosemarie Hirsch. “Trends in High LDL Cholesterol, Cholesterol-Lowering Medication Use, and Dietary Saturated-Fat Intake: United States, 1976-2010.” NCHS Data Brief No. 117. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, March 2013. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db117.htm/.
Tsao, Connie W., Aaron W. Aday, Zaid I. Almarzooq, Cheryl A.M. Anderson, Pankaj Arora, Christy L. Avery, Carissa M. Baker-Smith, et al. “Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2023 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association.” Circulation 147, no. 8 (February 21, 2023). https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001123.
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.” Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, December 2020. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.
