Is LDL Cholesterol a Risk Factor?

There's a clear reason why LDL cholesterol was not included in the criteria for metabolic syndrome. People with ridiculously high levels of LDL cholesterol definitely have higher rates of cardiovascular disease on average. But if you look at the general population and the normal ranges of LDL cholesterol, it's actually not quite as significant of a risk factor as most people think it is. We don't really have all that effective treatments for triglycerides.