To investigate the total cholesterol level and its related factors in the rural and sea-board, 2,840 adults who participated voluntarily were examined during the study period December 1999 to February 2000. The height, weight, and fasting serum total cholesterol were measured. Body mass index was calculated. Information on age, gender, smoking, alcohol, and menopausal status in women were collected using a questionnaire by interviewing method. The mean value of total cholesterol was 191.6mg/ dl in sea- board and 173.6mg/ dl in rural men, respectively, and 206.9mg/ dl and 186.9mg/ dl in sea-board and in rural women. By simple analysis, in men, area, BMI and smoking were significant risk factors(p<0.01). Area(p<0.01), age(p<0.01), BMI(p<0.01), smoking(p<0.05), and menopausal status (p<0.01) were significant. In multiple linear regression analysis, the significant factors for total cholesterol in men were area(sea-board versus rural area; p<0.01), body mass index(the more obese; p<0.01), and smoking (non-smoker versus smoker ; p<0.05). Those in women were area(sea-board versus rural area; p<0.01), body mass index(the more obese; p<0.01), and menopausal status(menopause versus normal; p<0.01). Thus, in both gender, the significant factors related with total cholesterol were area and body mass index, and in addition to those, menopausal status was proved as a significant risk factor in women.