Cholesterol and ChildrenShould you be concerned about your child's cholesterol level? A total cholesterol of 170 or less is the acceptable level for children and teens. A build up of cholesterol and fat on arterial walls can increase the risk of heart attack. Consuming a diet high in fat contributes to heart disease as well as obesity and some cancers. The National Cholesterol Education program recommends that all adults 20 years and older have their cholesterol checked. Your child's pediatrician can advise you if your child's cholesterol should be tested. This most accurately done with a fasting blood test (nothing to eat or drink for at least 8 hours prior to the blood draw except water). Some general guidelines for screening cholesterol level in children are as follows:
So what's a parent to do? Cutting back on fat, especially saturated fat, has an even greater effect
on controlling serum (blood) cholesterol. Fat is measured in grams; the
amount of fat your child should consume daily depends upon their caloric
needs. Generally speaking, no more than 30% of their calories should come
from fat. So, a child who consumes 1800 calories daily should have no
more than 540 calories from fat. To convert this to grams of at, just
divide by 9, because fat provides 9 calories per gram.
Small changes in the day-to-day diet can greatly reduce the intake of both dietary fat and cholesterol. For example, switching from whole milk to 1% milk can result in a savings of 77 grams of fat and 252 milligrams of cholesterol per week for a person who drinks 16 ounces of milk each day! Regular aerobic exercise is also important in reducing cholesterol levels and preventing obesity. Have your children play ball games not just watch them. Limit TV, video games, and computer time. If your child smokes, do everything you can to get him/her to quit! The most addicted smokers are who began smoking as teens. People who smoke a pack of cigarettes a day are twice as likely to have heart attacks as non-smokers. Another way to try to reduce serum cholesterol is to increase foods rich
in dietary fiber. Fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains are great
additions to the diet as part of meals or snacks. For cholesterol levels
that do not respond to diet and exercise interventions, there are medications
that can lower overall cholesterol levels. These, however, are not routinely
used with children and teens. For more information on Cholesterol please
contact your primary care provider.
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