Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Your Li?L One?S Big Issue
Your Li?L One?S Big Issue May 20, 2014
High cholesterol in children is fast becoming a major cause of concern. It's time to take precaution to make them healthy. High cholesterol not only affects adults but also children. These days many kids, too, have high levels of cholesterol, which can cause health problems later as they get older. Too high cholesterol leads to a build up of plaque on the walls of the arteries. This can narrow the arteries which supply blood to the heart, thus blocking blood supply to the heart, causing heart ailments and stroke.
Causes of high cholesterol in children
In children, the high cholesterol level has these risk factors:
- Heredity: In most cases, kids with elevated cholesterol have a parent who has high cholesterol too
- Diet
- Obesity
- Eat foods low in total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.
- Select a variety of foods so that your child can get all the nutrients he or she needs.
- Exercise regularly. Regular aerobic exercise, such as biking, running, walking, and swimming can help raise HDL levels (the 'good' cholesterol) and lower your child's risk for cardiovascular disease.
- If diet and exercise alone don't improve your child's cholesterol level, your child may need to take medication such as cholesterol-lowering statin drugs. A child's cholesterol level should be retested and monitored after dietary changes are made and/or medication started as recommended by your child's Doctor.