UTMB

Most adults realize that lowering their blood cholesterol levels will reduce the chance of developing heart problems later down the road, but many parents do not even think about their child’s cholesterol level. Adult cardiovascular disease has been linked to high cholesterol in childhood and many pediatricians are beginning to look at the lipid levels of children, especially if the child’s parents have a history of high cholesterol.

Lipids are fats in the bloodstream and are actually part of the make-up of all of the cells in your body. Your body needs a certain amount of cholesterol to keep functioning properly – it is used to build the walls of cells and form some hormones and tissues. But too much cholesterol in the blood, also known as hypercholesterolemia, is a risk factor for heart disease.

Your liver produces about 1000 milligrams of cholesterol every day. Most people make enough cholesterol to keep their body working properly. Cholesterol also comes from animal products, such as meat, poultry, seafood, whole milk dairy products, and egg yolks all contain cholesterol. Vegetables, fruits and grains do not contain cholesterol. 

Doctors have just recently begun tracking cholesterol levels in children and many doctors believe that higher levels in children are a sign of future cardiovascular problems. Cholesterol levels are linked to heredity, diet and obesity. About 90% of children that have high cholesterol levels have at least one parent that also has high levels.

Doctors can check your child’s cholesterol level with a simple blood test.

If your child has high cholesterol levels, you should approach their treatment as a way to improve their health, rather than stressing the risks associated with high cholesterol. Stressing a risk of heart disease to them may cause them to become frightened. The best way to begin to reduce your child’s cholesterol level is by making changes in your family’s diet and implementing a family exercise program. Normally the parents of children with high cholesterol levels have high levels themselves.

Recommended cholesterol intake is less than 300 milligrams a day. Start reading nutrition labels on foods that you buy. Children under two years-old need extra fat and calories for growth. For children over two, choose lean meats, fish, poultry, vegetables, whole grain cereals and breads, beans and low-fat dairy products. Increasing dietary fiber, using low fat dairy products and getting regular aerobic exercise, such as running, biking, walking or swimming, may help to lower cholesterol levels.

Dietary changes, including lowering fat, particularly saturated fat, and cholesterol, combined with regular exercise, have been shown to improve high lipid levels in children and teens. After three months of diet and exercise modification, your pediatrician will retest your child’s cholesterol levels. 

Medication is not normally necessary to control your child’s cholesterol level, but if it remains high, there is a family history of heart disease, and your child is older than ten, his or her doctor may prescribe medicine to control it.