How to Lower Your Child's Cholesterol

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High levels of cholesterol are believed to be contributing factors to heart disease and strokes. Some of the latest medical research shows that coronary artery disease has its roots in childhood. Recently, there has been a dramatic increase in childhood obesity. Some pediatricians report seeing a significant increase in the number of children with elevated cholesterol levels than they did years ago.
There are three major factors that contribute to high cholesterol levels: a diet high in fats, particularly saturated and trans fat, having one or more parent with high cholesterol, and obesity related to both diet and lack of exercise.

Steps

1. Have your child’s cholesterol levels checked. The American Hear Association’s guidelines are: acceptable (less than 170 mg/dL), borderline (170-199 mg/dL), and high (200 mg/dL or greater).
   
2. Read labels so you can limit cholesterol and saturated and trans fat intake. It’s recommended that cholesterol intake be less than 300 mg a day. The American Heart Association recommends that total fat intake should be 30% or less of your total calories and that saturated fat should be 10% or less of your total calories.
   

• 1. • Saturated fat is found in all animal fats and some tropical oils
       
     • Trans fats are fats formed when vegetable oils are hardened into margarine or shortening. When checking labels, look for the word “hydrogenated.”
       
     
     
  
  

1. Eat healthy snacks that are low in fat and cholesterol, such as fruit, raw vegetables and low-fat dips, plain unsalted popcorn or pretzels, or low-fat yogurt and gelatin.
   
2. Replace some meals of red meat with poultry, fish, beans, peas, lentils, tofu, or other soy products.
   
3. Pack healthy lunches and teach children to pick the healthiest item in the school cafeteria or vending machines.
   
4. Exercise. Walk, hike, bike, or play sports as a family. Exercise helps elevate the HDL (good cholesterol) in the blood.
   
5. Have a low-fat diet. The American Heart Association recommends a low-cholesterol, low-saturated fat diet for all children over the age of 2.
   

• 1. • Eating foods that contain cholesterol raises our blood cholesterol levels. Unlike foods from animals, such as meats, eggs and milk, plant products don’t contain cholesterol.
       
     • Eating saturated fat also raises cholesterol levels because fat causes our bodies to make more cholesterol. Even if we don’t eat any fat, the liver produces a small amount of cholesterol each day.
       
     • Go meatless one day a week. Meatless Monday is a national non-profit public health campaign that encourages people to give up meat one day a week to cut back on their intake of saturated fat to lower their risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and certain types of cancer. Fish is also a great option.
       
     • When you do eat meat, use lean cuts and trim the fat and remove the skin before eating it.
       
     • Limit all meats to moderately-sized portions.
       
     • Use low-fat or fat-free dairy options.
       
     
     
  
  

1. Start a family exercise program. Exercise is the best way to raise the level of HDL (the “good” cholesterol). Your goal should be at least 30 minutes or vigorous exercise at least 3 times a week. Children are more likely to follow through with this if they do it with their family. Try walking or biking instead of riding a car, taking the stairs instead of elevators, walking the dog, jumping rope, or playing outside when your child seems bored, and encouraging your child to join a team. Also, limit TV and video game time to 2 hours or less a day.
   
2. Help your child achieve a healthy body weight. Children who are overweight tend to have a low HDL and a high LDL, which is the opposite of what is recommended. Helping your child return to their ideal body weight will improve his/her blood cholesterol levels.
   
3. Have a smoke-free home. You can raise your own HDL just by not smoking. Also, avoid exposing your child to smoke.
   
4. Set good examples. If you insist that your child go on a special diet or start exercising more, support him or her by having the whole family follow the diet and exercise.
   

Tips

• For a heart healthy breakfast, try fruit, cereal, oatmeal, and yogurt. Use skim or 1% milk instead of whole or 2%. For lunch and dinner, bake or grill foods instead of frying them, use whole-grain breads and rolls, give your child whole-grain crackers with soups, chili, and stew, prepare pasta, beans, rice, fish, skinless poultry, or other dishes, always served fresh fruit after meals. For snacks, try fruits, vegetables, breads, and cereals.
  
• Teach your child while their young, and they will grow up to be healthy adults.
  

Warnings

• While it is important to guard against obesity, your child need to develop a healthy attitude toward food. It is better to encourage regular exercise in place of watching television than to make dieting an obsession.
  

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Sources and Citations

• http://www.you-and-your-cholesterol.com
  
• http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/guide/high-cholesterol-children
  
• http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_treatcho_hhg.htm
  
• http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/heart/cholesterol.html
  
• http://www.meatlessmonday.com/
  

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