In fact, many researchers use predictive formulas for calculating one’s serum cholesterol, and it usually looks something like this:
1sfa – 1.5pfa + .01dc
where sfa = sat fat, pfa = polyunsat fat, and dc = dietary cholesterol
This is a rough estimate. One of Cordain’s papers goes into the formula in much more detail and the coefficients aren’t so tidy. The take-home point, though, is that dietary cholesterol contributes VERY LITTLE to one’s own cholesterol levels. In fact, it’s dwarfed by the ratio of sat fat and polyunsat fat in your diet.