In the United States, high cholesterol in children has grown to an all time high. In fact, obesity in children is so disturbing; first lady Michelle Obama has taken on the challenge to wage a campaign against this problem. Her efforts target how American children eat and play - focus on healthier school lunches, building more playgrounds as well as health care examinations - with the goal of reducing childhood obesity within a generation.
This health problem is more common in America because a significant number of our children eat more junk food than those in Europe or Asia. Allowing children to eat fast food on a regular basis is easy and conforms to the family's hectic life style. The truth is, the rise of high cholesterol in young children is so mind boggling the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is now suggesting cholesterol screening to start as soon as age 2.
High Cholesterol Levels in children are associated with several risk factors:
Heredity (passed on from the mother or father to children)
Diet
Obesity
How is High Cholesterol Level Clinically Determined in Children?
Health care professionals can examine cholesterol in children using an easy blood test, which detect whether or not a child's cholesterol is too high. Performing this check is particularly important when there is a strong family history of cardiovascular disease (age 55 or less for males, age 65 or younger for females) or if the child's biological mother or father have high-cholesterol levels. Test is also recommended for children who are obese (at or above the 85th percentile), and based on other risk conditions like cigarette smoking, diabetic issues, or hypertension.
An initial testing is suggested when the child is past the age of 2, but parents should not wait later than 10 years of age. If the child is under the age of 2, it is recommended that screening not be taken if the fasting lipid profile is normal, the next testing should be given again in three to five years.
An overweight or obese child with an increased blood-fat rate or a low degree of "good" HDL cholesterol should be placed on a weight control program to help get the levels back to normal. This means a nutritional diet plan, coupled with counseling, and regular participation in a physical exercise program.
If the child is 8 years old or older and has been diagnosed with extremely high LDL cholesterol levels and a family history as previously mentioned, while drug treatment should be the last resort, it is sometimes necessary if the high LDL cholesterol levels are to be brought under control.
The good news is that high cholesterol in children can be treated. Here are some tips that will help:
1. Make sure the child has a complete physical from his/her attending physician before embarking on any exercise or diet program to reduce weight or lower cholesterol.
2. Prepare meals low in overall fat, saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol. The quantity of fat a child eats needs to be 30% or fewer daily total calories. This recommendation does NOT apply to children below age two. Saturated fat must be kept to only 10% of daily total calories, while trans fat should be eliminated from the diet. For children in the high-risk group, saturated fat must be limited to 7% of total calories.
3. Avoid giving the child food high in refined carbohydrates, for example bakery products, pastas, and sugary foods.
4. Make visits to fast food restaurants a treat enjoyed only occasionally. When eating out, opt for steam, broil or boiled foods, choose lean meats, fish and poultry that are steamed, grilled or baked and be sure to skip the butter.
5. Serve eggs sparingly and remove margarine and butter from the diet opting for the healthy choices that is now available.
6. Prepare family meals with natural oils such as vegetable, corn, and olive oils.
Following this plan will help you get your child on the road to a clean bill of health, free from obesity and high cholest
High cholesterol in children is increasingly more widespread, which is attributed in part to the rise in childhood obesity across the country. This is a troubling pattern that has to be eliminated and can be done with the aid of proper cholesterol management programs. In- turn, high cholesterol can easily be prevented so that our sons and daughters don't succumb to cardiovascular disease. Learn more about at yourcholesterolhealth.com yourcholesterolhealth.com and get on the right track to licking this disease.
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Here's to your good health
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