Children Can Be Affected By High Cholesterol Too

Usually kids who are identified as having high risk for high cholesterol levels have at least one parent also at risk for high cholesterol. There is not much that can be done about the heredity risk that is not in anyone's control.

Did you know that adults are not the only people who have high cholesterol risk factors? Children can be at risk for high cholesterol levels too and therefore they can be at risk for heart disease. Children have three risk factors for high cholesterol: heredity, diet and being overweight.

Usually kids who are identified as having high risk for high cholesterol levels have at least one parent also at risk for high cholesterol. There is not much that can be done about the heredity risk that is not in anyone's control. As a parent and as an older child, there is much we can do to control the other two risk factors for high cholesterol in children.

What children eat is partially influenced by what the adults eat that live with them. It is usually the adults that buy and prepare the food that kids eat. Kids may be given choices of what foods they eat by some parents and may even sneak foods or make bad food choices when away from parents. Children can therefore perhaps have some control over what they eat. Children can learn in school and at home, what good food choices are those will keep them healthy including what are the good food choices to make in order to keep their cholesterol levels at a healthy level.

Our weight, whether we are an adult or a child is largely influenced by the amount of food we eat, the types of food that we eat and how much physical activity we get each day. Again, our food choices have a lot to do with what we weight. Food influences two of the risk factors for high cholesterol in children. An important reason to make sure that kids understand the impact of the foods they eat on their bodies and how it makes them feel physically and emotionally.

Total Cholesterol You may have to have it checked more than yearly if you have other risk factors for heart disease. Some other risk factors for heart disease are: If you have already had one or more heart attacks, being a male older than 45 or being a female older than 55, being a female and going through or having already completed menopause, if you have an immediate family member (parent or sibling) who had a heart disease, if you smoke cigarettes, have high blood pressure, have diabetes, are overweight or are obese, and also if you are inactive. Total Cholesterol

School-aged children can not only be taught good food choices, but they can have their cholesterol levels checked by having a simple blood test. It is especially important to have this cholesterol-screening test performed if the child had a family history of high cholesterol. The levels that indicate borderline high levels of cholesterol in children are those levels that are between 170 and 199 mg/dL. The levels are considered high in children if they are higher than 200mg/dL.

If your child or a child you know has cholesterol levels that are high, there are things that can be done to lower them. The best way to treat children with high cholesterol levels is to teach them how to have a healthy diet and how to exercise properly.

Children should eat foods that are low in total fat, saturated fat, and trans fat and also low in cholesterol to lower their cholesterol levels or to maintain good cholesterol levels. The amount of total fat a child (over age two) should consume should be 30% or less of their daily caloric intake.

Newest Info on Cholesterol

Warning: date() expects parameter 2 to be long, string given in /web/sites/braun/caije.com/learn-more-about-cholesterol-facts/cholesterol-rss2html.php on line 609

Warning: date() expects parameter 2 to be long, string given in /web/sites/braun/caije.com/learn-more-about-cholesterol-facts/cholesterol-rss2html.php on line 610

Warning: date() expects parameter 2 to be long, string given in /web/sites/braun/caije.com/learn-more-about-cholesterol-facts/cholesterol-rss2html.php on line 611

Warning: date() expects parameter 2 to be long, string given in /web/sites/braun/caije.com/learn-more-about-cholesterol-facts/cholesterol-rss2html.php on line 612

Warning: date() expects parameter 2 to be long, string given in /web/sites/braun/caije.com/learn-more-about-cholesterol-facts/cholesterol-rss2html.php on line 750

Warning: date() expects parameter 2 to be long, string given in /web/sites/braun/caije.com/learn-more-about-cholesterol-facts/cholesterol-rss2html.php on line 751

Warning: date() expects parameter 2 to be long, string given in /web/sites/braun/caije.com/learn-more-about-cholesterol-facts/cholesterol-rss2html.php on line 752

Warning: date() expects parameter 2 to be long, string given in /web/sites/braun/caije.com/learn-more-about-cholesterol-facts/cholesterol-rss2html.php on line 753