Death from cholesterol. Abstract image showing the white outline of a dead body on slate and a fried egg. It represents the role of fatty cholesterol- rich foods in disease of the heart and arteries. Too much fatty food can lead to obesity, and saturated fats such as found in eggs, cheese, red meat and other foods can raise blood cholesterol levels. Saturated fats in the form of low-density lipoproteins (a type of cholesterol) are a cause of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a disease where fatty deposits develop on the walls of blood vessels increasing the risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.