Serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) contribute to atherosclerosis and its effects on heart health. An update on these lipid levels among American adults has just been published in JAMA. The paper by Margaret D Carroll and colleagues found that mean total cholesterol declined from 206 in 1988-1994 to 129. Mean HDL-C increased. Mean serum triglyceride levels increased from 118 in 1988-1994 to 123 in 1999-2002 and decreased to 110 in 2007-2010. The prevalence of lipid-lowering medication use increased from 3.4% in 1988-1994 to 15.5% in 2007-2010. Among adults not receiving lipid-lowering medications, trends in lipids were similar to those reported for adults overall. Among obese adults, mean TC, non–HDL-C, LDL-C, and mean triglycerides declined between 1988 and 2010. JAMA: Trends in Lipids and Lipoproteins in US Adults, 1988-2010