What do the various cholesterol levels mean wrt diet?

Excellent question: Traditional thinking had been that a high fat diet always lead to a high cholesterol level but dr. Atkins has proven that to be wrong. That said, doctors advise against trans-fats and high saturated fat diets. The best diet is a mixture of protein, complex carbs, and monounsaturated and/or polyunsaturated fats. The single most important feature is calorie control and achieving ideal body weight.