Cholesterol is a lipid.
Lipids are fats.
Lipids are transported through the bloodstream, where they attached to proteins, resulting in what is called lipoproteins. Some of these are good, such as the HDL s, aka high- density lipoproteins. Some aren t so good, such as the LDL s, aka low-density lipoproteins. Once the above terms are fixed inside a person s mind, they will then have a better understanding of their total cholesterol numbers, and gain a sense that they should be doing something to lower this number. Again, LDL s are bad in that they are the ones responsible for clogging up arteries, resulting in what is known as atherosclerosis, which is basically the accumulation of fat buildup within the arterial walls.