How often should you get your cholesterol levels checked? That depends upon your age, your lifestyle choices and whether there is a history of cardiac disease or other health problems in your immediate family. Most health care providers agree that men between the ages of 35 and 65 and women between the ages of 45 and 65 should have regular cholesterol screenings at least once a year. When the results come back, your physician, or the person going over those results with you, may talk about ratios of �good cholesterol� to �bad cholesterol.� What exactly does that mean?