Is it recommended to test for high cholesterol in childhood?

High cholesterol is a disease that is generally associated with adulthood. However, it is not reserved for adults; children can also suffer from high cholesterol levels, and as they grow up, it can create serious health issues. One of the first steps in treating an illness is diagnosing it correctly, and to diagnose diseases such as high cholesterol and sugar levels, you need to take their respective tests. As we discussed, children are also susceptible to high cholesterol levels in their blood, but can they take a test? In this article, we are going to look into the reasons for high cholesterol in children, as well as the diagnosis and treatment.

 

The symptoms and causes of high cholesterol in children

Cholesterol is a substance essential for many of our body functions, but excess cholesterol can build up over time and create issues as serious as artery blockages. Adolescent and teenage children can have high cholesterol levels for many reasons, including due to some other diseases, but there are no telling signs of high cholesterol in adolescent children.

Here are three of the reasons for high cholesterol levels in children:

Unhealthy diet: The world is changing, and so are our food habits. With the rise of urban culture, fast food is becoming the norm in many households. Unhealthy diet habits are a major reason for high cholesterol levels in both adults and children, and regular consumption of foods that have high levels of saturated fat and other unhealthy components can cause other severe health issues too.

Obesity: Not being able to maintain a healthy weight is another major reason for high cholesterol levels in children and teens.

Hereditary: If the child has a family history of high cholesterol patients, there is a high chance that the high cholesterol level in the child is a hereditary issue.

 

Test for high cholesterol levels

The test to check the cholesterol levels is basically a blood test, and children with family members who have cholesterol are generally recommended to take the test early. Otherwise, children as young as 11 years old can undergo this test to make sure that their cholesterol levels are in order. The cholesterol blood test measures the amount of different kinds of cholesterol in our blood.

HDL (high-density lipoprotein): Tagged as the “good” cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, helps remove excess cholesterol from blood vessels.

LDL (low-density lipoprotein): Known as the “bad” cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is the type of cholesterol responsible for creating blockages in the arteries.

Triglycerides: Another type of cholesterol found in the blood, triglycerides are unnecessary calories turned into fat packets, and they can also cause major health issues, including obesity.

Total cholesterol: This is the total sum of cholesterol present in the blood.

Normal cholesterol levels in children below the age of 18 are:

Types of cholesterol	Normal level
High-density lipoprotein(HDL)	Above 45 mg/dL
Low-density lipoprotein(LDL)	Below 110 mg/dL
Total cholesterol	Below 170 mg/dL

 

Managing high cholesterol levels in children

Cholesterol is a lifestyle disease, so apart from strictly following the advice and medications from physicians, you can adopt lifestyle changes. A healthy diet plan and regular exercise are two of the major lifestyle changes that can help you manage cholesterol levels in children. Encouraging them to do more activities that require physical movement, such as sports activities, will lower their cholesterol levels, increase their energy, and improve their overall health. Regularly test the cholesterol levels to analyze the effectiveness of treatment. But if lifestyle changes are not effective, consult your physician and provide your child with the right medications.

 

Conclusion

Testing cholesterol in children is recommended, especially if the child’s parents also suffer from high cholesterol levels, and with regular testing, lifestyle changes, and medication, you can treat and manage it. Aza Diagnostic Centre is a premium laboratory in Calicut that provides advanced health screening packages. One of the few ultrasound scanning centres in Calicut, we are a NABL and ICMR-accredited lab with the biggest in-house test menu in Kerala. Connect with us and choose your health screening package.