What you eat. Eating too much saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol can cause high cholesterol.
Saturated fat and cholesterol are in foods that come from animals, such as meats, whole milk, egg yolks, butter, and cheese.
Trans fat is found in fried foods and packaged foods, such as cookies, crackers, and chips.
Some diseases. Certain diseases may raise your risk of high cholesterol. These include hypothyroidism, chronic kidney disease, and some types of liver disease.