Cholesterol checks aren’t just for adults anymore! An expert panel from the NIH (National Institute of Health) and the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) are now recommending that all children between the ages of 9-11 years old have a cholesterol screening, with a repeat cholesterol test at age 17-21.
Children who don’t have serious heart risks (and most children don’t), will be fine doing a quick non-fasting, finger-stick cholesterol check. But all children can participate in a fasting cholesterol blood draw. One of the many reasons for the upward spike in cholesterol checks for children is trying to find the 1 in 500 kids who have familial hypercholesterolemia (an inherited genetic glitch that boosts LDL, i.e.: dangerous cholesterol) to extremely high levels. A more pressing reason is that today’s young people will face fatal heart diseases earlier in adulthood.
This is due to the following reasons:
• Higher sodium content and sugar content in diet. Not enough fruits, vegetables, lean protein or fiber in the diet.
• 30% of boys and 40% of girls have higher-than –normal blood sugar levels (increasing their risk of type 2 diabetes later in life)
• One-third are obese or overweight
• Not enough physical activity (at least one hour per day)
• They do not have ‘ideal’ cholesterol levels even at a young age-(high LDL and low HDL)
• About 7% also had high blood pressure
Cholesterol tests, whether done by finger-stick or by blood draw, fasting or non-fasting, are essential in maintaining over-all health and wellness for both children and adults.
source : http://www.labbocaraton.com/blood-test/cholesterol-test
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