Frequently Asked Questions
January 2007
By Althea Zanecosky, MS, RD, LDN
Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association
Q: My New Year’s resolution is to lower my blood cholesterol level. Since heart disease runs in my family, should I also be concerned about my children’s cholesterol?
A: People are aware that a high blood cholesterol level is known to be a major factor contributing to heart disease and strokes. But most parents think that cholesterol is an adult health issue and don’t realize that the latest medical research shows coronary artery disease has its roots in childhood.
Pediatric health specialists generally didn’t test for childhood cholesterol levels until recently. Now it’s thought that high cholesterol in kids is a major underreported public health problem. In the past decade, studies have shown a dramatic increase in obesity in children and the problems that result from being overweight.
With this weight gain has been a significant increase in the number of children with elevated cholesterol levels. Because the problems associated with high cholesterol generally don't show up for years, making the connection between kids' health and cholesterol is difficult. So it's important to be aware of your child's cholesterol levels and even more so if either parent has high cholesterol.
Cholesterol is a waxy substance produced by the liver. It's one of the lipids, or fats, your body makes and is used to build cell walls, produce hormones, and form some tissues. If you never ate any food containing cholesterol, your body would have enough of it to run smoothly. That's because your liver makes enough cholesterol regularly for healthy body function. The rest of the cholesterol in the body comes from food. The three major factors that contribute to high blood cholesterol levels are a diet high in fats, (particularly saturated and trans fats), heredity (having parents or a parent with high cholesterol) and obesity (related to both diet and lack of exercise).
Research has shown that blood cholesterol levels are more closely related to how much fat you eat rather than how much you eat of foods containing just cholesterol. Newer recommendations advise limiting total fat and saturated fat and increasing unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats are found in plant foods and some fish. Saturated fats are found in meat and other animal products, such as shortening, lard, and full-fat dairy foods. They are also in palm and coconut oils, which are often used in commercial baked goods. Trans fats are found in some margarines, commercial snack foods and baked goods, and some commercially fried foods.
Cholesterol guidelines for children over the age of 2 were issued by the National Cholesterol Education Project, a 12-member panel of experts in pediatrics, nutrition and heart disease, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. These recommendations are endorsed by 42 major health and professional groups, including the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
If your pediatrician feels it is needed, he or she will test your child’s cholesterol level. Kids should have a cholesterol level of less than 175. Those with counts of 175 to 199 should be considered "borderline" and here small diet changes are recommended. Children with counts above 200 probably need diet restrictions and may need to be considered for drug treatment.
If your health care providers recommend diet changes, it doesn’t mean leaving out foods you and your children enjoy. Below is a chart of different forms of commonly consumed foods. By simply switching to a different “version” of your favorites you can lower fat, trim down calories and, it is hoped, reduce blood cholesterol levels.| Food Category | Portion | Saturated Fat Content (grams) |
Calories |
|
Cheese |
1 oz 1 oz |
6.0 1.2 |
114 49 |
|
Ground beef |
3 oz (cooked) 3 oz (cooked) |
6.1 2.6 |
236 148 |
|
Milk |
1 cup 1 cup |
4.6 1.5 |
146 102 |
|
Breads |
1 medium 1 medium |
6.6 0.2 |
231 227 |
|
Frozen desserts |
1/2 cup 1/2 cup |
4.9 2.0 |
145 110 |
|
Chicken |
3 oz (cooked) 3 oz (cooked) |
3.3 0.9 |
212 140 |
|
Fish |
3 oz 3 oz |
2.8 1.5 |
195 129 |
Source: USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
For more information, visit the following Web sites:
American Heart Association at: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4575
National Cholesterol Education Project at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/index.htm#chol
American Academy of Pediatrics at: http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/pediatrics;101/1/141.pdf