Don’t be surprised if your pediatrician recommends a cholesterol test. We used to think that was just for “older” adults.
With the growing epidemic of obesity and diabetes in children, earlier screening has been recommended.
This is especially true for kids who have a strong family history of heart disease or high cholesterol. Some of these kids (1 in 500) have a genetic predisposition for high cholesterol, and therefore a high risk for diabetes.
It’s important to discuss these choices with your pediatrician to see whether your child should get screened or not. Some kids are not high risk (no family history, average weight) but may still have borderline or high cholesterol levels. It’s better to know sooner than later.
Kids with very high cholesterol risk having diabetes and heart attacks as young adults. But current screening misses 1 in 3 fifth-graders who need treatment, a study suggests.
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Read the rest of this post from WebMD Health
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