National Cholesterol Education Month seeks to inform the public about the dangers of high cholesterol and its connection with the leading cause of death around the globe, heart disease. High cholesterol is one of the most common and commonly misunderstood health risks in America. It can be caused by an unhealthy diet and exacerbated by smoking and a lack of exercise and since it is symptomless it can be hard to diagnose. It is a serious condition that affects nearly 102 million Americans over the age of 20.