How a test works

You can get your cholesterol tested for free at your GP, as well as Boots chemists, as part of a current monthlong promotion.

Pin-prick tests can also be carried out at home with various brands of DIY kits that cost around £40 from major chemists and take just over 10 minutes to conduct.

All adults over 20 should take the cholesterol test every year. Ideally, your HDL level should be 3.36-5.18mmol (millimoles of cholesterol per litre of blood). If it's between 5.18 and 6.19mmol, then you should be taking immediate steps to adapt your diet and increase exercise to lower cholesterol. If it's above 6.19mmol, you should seek your GP's advice immediately.