Obesity, Overweight, and Dyslipidemia in Children and Adolescents

Table of Contents

1. OBESITY, OVERWEIGHT, AND DYSLIPIDEMIA IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS
2. DEFINITIONS
3. BODY MASS INDEX (BMI)
4. EPIDEMIOLOGY
5. ETIOLOGY
6. ASSESSMENT
7. CO-MORBIDITIES
8. HYPERLIPIDEMIA
   1. Primary Disorders of Cholesterol Metabolism
   2. Secondary Causes of Hypercholesterolemia
   3. Cholesterol Metabolism
   4. Cholesterol Screening
9. DIET AND EXERCISE RECOMMENDATIONS
10. PHARMACOLOGIC INTERVENTIONS
11. REFERRING TO SUBSPECIALISTS
12. TAKE HOME POINTS
13. RESOURCES & REFERENCES
14. ABOUT THE MODULE

HYPERLIPIDEMIA

Definition

• Total Cholesterol > 200 mg/dL or LDL-C > 130 mg/dL (Daniels, 2008)

Total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and HDL levels vary with gender and age

Standard values for all children and adolescents are used as listed above according to AAP guidelines.

AHA also identifies triglyceride concentrations of > 150 mg/dL and HDL concentrations of < 35 mg/dL to be abnormal (dyslipidemia).

Why do we care?

Risk factors for CVD in the adult (obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and smoking) accelerate the atherosclerotic process in childhood.

In children and adolescents, the severity and extent of atherosclerosis is greater as the number of risk factors increases.

Risk factors can be modified by therapeutic lifestyle changes; and drug therapies and the modification of these risk factors in adults has resulted in a reduced risk of CVD.