Question Title: Fasting vs non-Fasting Cholesterol Tests

I was wondering about the comparability of Fasting vs non-Fasting Cholesterol Tests. On Feb 26th I had a fasting lipid profile of TC 146, HDL 29, LDL 87, VLDL 30, TG 151 and on April 8th I had another lipid profile about 2 hours after lunch of TC 178, HDL 28, LDL 123, VLDL 27 and TG 136. Are these comparable? Can/what inference could be drawn for my increased TC & LDL but slightly decreased TG levels while HDL is essentially the same.

Also, I'm trying to raise my HDL through exercise with 40-60 minutes of Aerobic exercise per day. would increasing my level of exercise help my HDL any more?

Thank you for your consideration.

Dear John,

The standard that is used for treatment decisions is the fasting lipid profile. The non-fasting levels are elevated due to the circulation of lipids from the recent meal and are not used for treatment decisions. HDL is related to exercise but I would try to stick to your current plan first and then increase exercise levels if your HDL is still low.

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