This information alone seems like plenty of reason to test kids for high cholesterol beginning early. But the article also mentions that this new advice for doctors is bound to be controversial. I don't understand why. Sure, there is the $80 charge for such a test, but most insurances cover the cholesterol test. We also don't fully know the long-term consequences of using cholesterol medicines for decades. In this regard, if testing for high cholesterol does become routine for children, physicians must be judicious to ensure that they aren't overmedicating children when preventative medicine could be just as effective. As one of the interviewed physicians mentions in the article, habits are much easier to change and engrain during childhood than in adolescence or later.
Another controversial area of this article falls in the labeling of children in relation to their weight. The current standard is that words like "obese" and "overweight" are too harsh to use as labels on impressionable and emotionally vulnerable children. I agree - the social connotation of these words is one that evokes embarrassment, sadness, and disappointment. But we currently label kids in the 85-95th percentile for BMI as "at risk for overweight" - seriously?! A BMI that high is dangerous at any age, but particularly sets children up for a huge grocery list of increased risk for diseases and health complications. What terms could doctors use to be less harsh and more constructive? Or is this even an important issue to address, in light of the more immediate issue of decreasing obesity rates in our kids?
Many current campaigns are targeted at getting kids off of the couch and into physical activities, eating more healthfully, and making wise decisions for overall wellness. This is all important and necessary for our country, which is getting fatter and fatter by the year, but perhaps more urgent action is necessary before these more gradual health measures begin to show benefits. The way I see it, the potential preventative benefits of testing children for high cholesterol hugely outweigh the downfalls.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45260303/ns/health-childrens_health/#.Tr9Vp2C4KoA
This post caught my eye because high cholesterol is prevalent in my family. I have had my cholesterol checked once a year since I was about 12 years old. My doctor suggested that I start taking medications to control my cholesterol, but we decided that it was not out of hand and simple diet changes would be sufficient. You point about not knowing the long term side effects of cholesterol medication is something that I was concerned with when my doctor suggested it.
ReplyDeleteAs an alternative to cholesterol medications my doctor suggested that I take flax seed oil daily. My grandmother has been doing this for a long time and has seen positive results. Flax seed oil contains alpha linolenic acid which is an omega 3 fatty acid that has been shown to lower cholesterol. Clinical trials have shown that flax seed oil improves our LDL to HDL cholesterol ratio. Fish oil has also contain omega 3 fatty acids which help lower cholesterol levels.
I found that treatment of high cholesterol with bile acid binding resins pretty interesting. These resins bind bile acids in the intestines effectively lowering bile acid concentrations in the body. The body then uses cholesterol to resynthesize bile acids eventually lowering cholesterol levels as much as twenty percent. Though this seems like an efficient way to lower cholesterol, the unknown side effects still concern me. For now a more natural approach is working well for me.