"Cholesterol Counts," a new national campaign geared at measuring America's cholesterol knowledge, was recently launched, and it aims to equip the public with information about managing cholesterol and understanding the risks associated with it.

Cholesterol Counts released an online poll in tandem with the campaign, and it questioned participants about cholesterol count, good cholesterol vs. bad cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) vs. low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol‎, and other important factoids related to the waxy, fat-like substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body.

Cholesterol is essential to the body's functioning, according to Cholesterol Counts. LDL or "bad cholesterol" can narrow and harden arteries, leading to build up, blockages, heart attacks or strokes, while HDL or "good cholesterol" helps to carry cholesterol to the liver, where it's removed from the body.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 73.5 million adults (31.7 percent) in the United States have LDL. And less than one-third (29.5 percent) of adults have their LDL cholesterol under control. Less than 48.1 percent of adult are getting treatments to lower their levels, and approximately 38.8 percent of female Mexicans and 32 percent of male Mexicans have high LDL cholesterol in the U.S. The American Heart Association suggests that more than 50 percent of Latinos and more than one-of-three Latinas have high cholesterol.

The Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Mended Hearts, Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA),  Foundation of the National Lipid Association (FNLA) and Sanofi-supported crusade, Cholesterol Counts, informed the masses about high cholesterol awareness, treatment options, and efforts to promote healthy lifestyle and diets. The initiative also revealed that 65 percent of Latinos polled didn't know or couldn't remember their cholesterol count.

To learn more about cholesterol, visit the CDC, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Mended Hearts, Foundation of the National Lipid Association, Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association and the Cholesterol Counts site.