Cholesterol: children are they saved?

Contrary to popular belief, children are not always spared by high cholesterol. In recent years, the increase in childhood obesity still darkens the picture. What is the relationship between these two evils? How to prevent? Find some answers.

Affecting mainly adults, excess blood cholesterol can sometimes affect the health of children.

Beware of familial hypercholesterolaemia?
In children, the discovery of a high cholesterol remains infrequent.

Faced with moderate hypercholesterolemia, simple dietary measures are recommended. From a medical point of view, only cholestyramine is allowed before the end of puberty. A management classic takes over in early adulthood.

Faced with severe hypercholesterolaemia (with an LDL> 1.9 grams per liter despite the diet), a genetic origin is often suspected. This hereditary disease will not have the same consequences if one parent is affected (heterozygous form) or if both are (homozygous). In the first case, Statins or combination therapy should be considered. In the rare homozygous forms, only liver transplantation or treatment of specific plasma cholesterol levels (also called LDL apheresis) are really effective, but these children belong to a support by specialized services.

Childhood obesity and cholesterol: dangerous relationships
Poor diet, too much inactivity are factors that promote overweight and obesity. These excesses are the source of lipid disorders including high levels of cholesterol. Even among very young children, overweight and obesity can cause a cascade of cardiovascular risk factors like high cholesterol but also hypertension or insulin resistance.

In terms of overweight and obesity, France tends to adopt gradually the bad behavior of Americans. Thus, the percentage of obese adults increased as the children.

Today approximately 11.3% of adults are affected and most young people are not spared. There were already 12% of obese children in 1990, a figure increased to 16% in 2000. A phenomenon that persists into adulthood in two thirds of affected children and reduces life expectancy by 13 years1.

But a recent U.S. study2, The Bogalusa Heart Study, has highlighted the complex links between obesity and hypercholesterolemia. Indeed, 58 children with abnormal cholesterol levels and 215 others with normal levels were enlisted at the age of 5 to 6 years. Followed for 6 years, none of these children were obese at entry into the investigation. But the body mass index (an indicator of overweight) girls suffering from high cholesterol increased more rapidly. At 11-12 years, 45.2% of affected girls were overweight or obese, as against only 21.6% of other girls. No significant differences were observed among boys.

Although the relationship between cholesterol levels and weight gain remains partly mysterious, the authors think they show impaired metabolism, resulting later by an excess of body fat. In case of obesity, lipid disorders may be exacerbated.

Parenting
Cardiovascular prevention may well be prepared from childhood. And as an adult, prevention of overweight, cholesterol and cardiovascular disease overlap. In France, prevention of childhood obesity is a priority objective stated in both the planning law of public health in 2003 and the National Health Nutrition Program. Action has already been undertaken: distribution to all doctors a tool for calculating body mass index (BMI) of the child, and year-end edition of the Food Guide ' child.

But beyond information campaigns, the role of pediatricians and doctors, are the parents that returned the lead. Thus, to fight against the charms candy, pizza and fries ... it is important to give your child the basics of a healthy lifestyle.

Often, foods with high energy density of small volume (chocolate bar, crisps, ice ...) may explain the excess calories. Eroded before the television, they are associated with a lack of physical activity. In Britain, the increase in the number of obese 30 years correlated with the number of television sets and cars owned per household...

So to avoid their cholesterol, give your children a taste of healthy eating and putting on your sneakers for football parties unforgettable!

 

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