For the study, researchers compared cholesterol testing results of 300,000 people from Denmark, Canada, and the U.S. In both the U.S. and Canada, fasting for eight hours before a test is required. In Denmark, however, it is not.
Patients who are scheduled for a lipid profile test should fast (except for water) for 12-14 hours before the blood sample is drawn. If the patient's cholesterol is to be fractionated, he or she also should avoid alcohol for 24 hours before the test. http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Ato...
Typically, fasting for 9-12 hours (water only) before having your blood drawn is required, but some labs offer non-fasting lipid testing. Follow any instructions you are given and tell the person drawing your blood whether or not you have fasted. For youths without risk factors, testing may be done without fasting.