February is Heart Month, a time when we traditionally hear many messages about adults at risk for heart disease. Now it’s time to focus this message toward kids, as medical research has shown that cardiovascular disease has its roots in childhood. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five U.S. teens have abnormal cholesterol. This means either their good cholesterol (HDL) is too low or their bad cholesterol (LDL and triglycerides) is too high. As a parent, you may not be thinking about what cholesterol means for your kids. But with the dramatic increase in childhood obesity, more and more kids are at risk. Obesity can not only cause abnormal cholesterol, it can lead to increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke. So, here are four steps you can start taking — today — to help keep your kids’ hearts healthier […]
