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cholesterol levels.
Those kids have an in-
creased risk of developing
cardiovascular disease as adults.
That’s why the AAP recom-
mends cholesterol screening for kids who may be
at risk for the disease, including those who:
•
Have a parent or grandparent who devel-
oped heart disease at an early age (before
55 in a father or grandfather or before 65
in a mother or grandmother)
•
Have diabetes
•
Are obese
•
Have high blood pressure
•
Smoke
Cholesterol screening in kids who need it
should take place after a child is at least 2 years
old but before he or she reaches age 10, reports
the AAP.
Cholesterol readings are measured in mil-
ligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) of blood. For kids
between ages 2 and 19:
•
Total cholesterol should be less than
170 mg/dL. Readings from 170 to
199 mg/dL are borderline high. Readings
of 200 mg/dL or greater are high.
•
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL, bad cho-
lesterol) should be less than 110 mg/dL.
110 to 129 mg/dL is borderline high.
130 mg/dL or greater is high.
•
High-density lipoprotein (HDL, good
cholesterol) levels should be 35 mg/dL
or higher.
•
Triglycerides should be less than or equal
to 150 mg/dL.
Typically, doctors don’t use medication to
treat high cholesterol in kids younger than
8 years old unless their levels are very high.
Depending on their risk factors and indi-
vidual cholesterol readings, however, kids 8 and
older may need cholesterol-lowering medica-
tions. But before prescribing them, doctors
typically recommend lifestyle changes that can
help lower a child’s cholesterol level, such as
eating a healthy diet and exercising.
Kids older than 2 years should follow the
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005
). In general,
the guidelines stress eating whole grains,
fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products.
Kids are also advised to get at least 60 min-
utes of physical activity each day by doing
something fun that burns calories and builds
endurance, strength and flexibility. Examples
include skating, soccer, swimming and tennis.
When it comes
to cholesterol,
KIDS
COUNT
TOO
A child’s total
cholesterol
level is
considered
healthy
if it
ranges below
170 mg/dL
.
KIDS AND HIGH CHOLESTEROL:
They’re words you may not expect
to hear together. But according to
the American Academy of Pediatrics
(AAP), studies have shown that chil-
dren and adolescents can have elevated