Your Children's High Cholesterol is a Serious Problem

Children’s high cholesterol is quickly becoming a significant health problem. It is time to take preventative measures to keep them healthy. Children who have high cholesterol are also affected. Many children nowadays also have excessive cholesterol levels, which may lead to health issues as they age. Plaque builds up on the artery walls as a result of too much cholesterol in the blood. This may constrict the arteries that carry blood to the heart, obstructing blood flow to the organ and increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Causes of children’s high cholesterol

These risk factors for elevated cholesterol levels in children include:

• Heredity: Most often, children who have high cholesterol also have high cholesterol in their parents.
• Diet
• Obesity

How is childhood elevated cholesterol identified?

A quick blood test may be used by doctors to assess a child’s cholesterol who is enrolled in school. If a youngster has very high cholesterol, the results of the blood test will show that. Such a test is particularly crucial if there is a history of heart disease in the family or if one of the child’s parents has excessive cholesterol. Children who have a family history of early cardiac disease, excessive cholesterol, or blood fats should be screened. Children who are overweight and have other risk factors, such as smoking, and diabetes, should also be screened. 

High blood pressure symptoms. What is the treatment?

A family-wide diet and activity regimen is the most effective strategy to lower a child’s cholesterol. Here is a few pieces of advice:

• Consume foods that are low in cholesterol, saturated fat, trans fat, and overall fat.
• Choose a range of meals to ensure that your kid receives all the nutrients needed.
• Regular exercise. Regular aerobic activity, such as bicycling, jogging, walking, and swimming, may lessen your child’s risk for cardiovascular disease and boost HDL levels (the “good” cholesterol).
• Your kid may need to take medicine, such as cholesterol-lowering statin medications if diet and exercise alone are insufficient to decrease their cholesterol levels. Once dietary adjustments have been made and/or medication has been begun as advised by your kid’s doctor, the cholesterol level of the child should be retested and monitored.

Eat right and healthy.

Here are some examples of nutritious meals that you may feed your kid.

For breakfast: Oatmeal, fruit, non-sugary cereal, and low-fat yogurt are all healthy options for breakfast. Utilize skimmed or 1% milk rather than full or 2% milk (after the age of two, or as recommended by your doctor).

For lunch and dinner: Instead of frying your lunch and supper meals, try baking or grilling it. To create a sandwich that is healthy, use whole-grain bread. Along with the soup and stew, offer your youngster whole-grain crackers. Always accompany meals with fresh fruit (in its peel).

For snacks: Fruits, veggies, bread, and cereals all make delicious snacks. Juice, soda, and fruit drinks need to be avoided by kids.