Global prevalence of dyslipidemias in the general adult population: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: Global regional variations in dyslipidemia prevalence underscore the need for an updated global overview of the magnitude of dyslipidemia over time. Objective: To estimate the global prevalence of dyslipidemia in adults, considering scientific evidence published in the last 20 years, while analyzing associated sociodemographic and geographic factors. Methodology: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. The bibliographic search was performed in PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and EMBASE, including observational studies published between 2000 and 2025 that reported the prevalence of dyslipidemia components in general adult populations, including hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, hypoalphalipoproteinemia or low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels (< 40 mg/dL for men and < 50 mg/dL for women), and elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Statistical analyses included meta-analysis with random effects models, stratified analyses by sex and country, and meta-regression by publication year. Results: A total of 206 studies were included, primarily cross-sectional (98.5%). The global prevalence was 28.8% for hypertriglyceridemia, 24.1% for hypercholesterolemia, 38.4% for low HDL-C, and 18.93% for high LDL-C. Men presented a higher prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia (33.8% vs. 24.5% in women), while women showed a higher frequency of low HDL-C (40.5% vs. 34.1% in men). The highest prevalences of low HDL-C and mixed dyslipidemia patterns were observed in the Middle East and Latin America. Temporal trends revealed a progressive increase in hypertriglyceridemia and low HDL-C, with a decrease in hypercholesterolemia and high LDL-C. Conclusions: There is an epidemiological transition in the dyslipidemia profile, from classic hypercholesterolemia toward a predominance of hypertriglyceridemia and low HDL-C, with important differences by sex and region. These findings significantly affect cardiovascular prevention and health policies addressing residual risk beyond LDL-C control.