Pediatricians have been getting a lot of bad news about their patients lately: More children at younger ages are developing high cholesterol. I certainly don’t need to tell you that obesity is an epidemic in the United States. Obesity and a family history of high cholesterol levels certainly play a significant role in the development of childhood hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol levels). However, you should know that not all children with high cholesterol are obese — or even overweight. Over the last 40 or so years, research has shown that the atherosclerotic** changes that can lead to cardiovascular disease (CVD) begin early in life (as early as 2 years old) and continue to progress throughout life***. We know that genetics play an important role in susceptibility to early CVD, but factors like diet and excercise are just as important in determining the progress of the disease. And in some cases, an […]
