>If you can show me any study which links cholesterol levels to health I will
>be more than happy.

Hi Paul;

There seems to be dozens of studies like this mostly pointing out the
importance of HDL/LDL levels. Is this not already well established?

http://www.chestjournal.org/cgi/content/abstract/105/3/718

CONCLUSIONS: Serum cholesterol levels are directly associated with CHD risk,
and there is no threshold level below which there is no risk. Reduction of
high serum cholesterol levels reduces CHD risk. Whether lipid-lowering and
adjunctive antiatherosclerotic therapies are effective and safe in the
majority of CHD patients who have desirable or borderline cholesterol levels
remains undetermined.

http://www.lipidsonline.org/slides/slide01.cfm?tk=9&dpg=4

It is now generally accepted that both elevated levels of non-high-density
lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low HDL-C concentrations may promote the
development of atherosclerosis. This is supported by data from the
Framingham study,1 which showed that as the ratio of total cholesterol:HDL-C
(Total-C/HDL-C) increases, so does the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).
In populations with low CHD incidences, average values of Total-C/HDL-C are
below 4.0.

http://www.framingham.com/heart/4stor_02.htm

Lp(a) -- Low density lipoprotein (LDL) carries most of the disease promoting
cholesterol throughout the bloodstream.   There also are other lipoproteins
associated with LDL.   One of these, Lp(a), is now thought to be a risk
factor for early heart disease.   Unlike LDL, Lp(a) does not appear to
promote fatty buildup in the arteries.   Instead, its damage may come from
preventing the breakup of clots.

Marilyn