At what age should I start checking my cholesterol?

Around age 20 for a baseline in most guidelines, repeated every 4–6 years if normal, and more often with risk factors. South Asians and people with a strong family history should start earlier and be screened more frequently.

South Asians develop coronary disease roughly a decade earlier on average, which is why earlier and more frequent lipid screening is commonly advised in India.

A fasting sample is no longer essential for routine screening. Fasting is mainly needed when triglycerides are high or the result will guide treatment decisions.