Children and Cholesterol: Should We Worry?
(LifeWire) – The relationship between children and cholesterol is clear – a high fat diet and sedentary lifestyle in children could cause heart disease later on in life. If you picture someone with high cholesterol, you probably think of a middle-aged, overweight, sedentary adult. But children are by no means immune to this condition. Approximately 10% of school-aged children in the United States have high cholesterol and another 28% have borderline levels. Current health guidelines do not recommend cholesterol tests for most children. The value of routinely testing children remains unclear. And the benefits of such testing do not appear to justify the cost. But should your child be tested? Parents are rightly worried that high cholesterol levels in their children could mean dire consequences down the road. Most people are aware that unhealthy cholesterol levels can have serious consequences for adults.
