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For Parents & Families Cholesterol Frequently Asked Questions about Cholesterol
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Cholesterol and The Family
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What is the link between blood cholesterol and heart disease?
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What impact does cholesterol found in food have on heart disease?
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At what age should I start to have my family's cholesterol checked?
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If my child has high cholesterol levels, should she/he be put on cholesterol-lowering medication?
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At what age should children start limiting their saturated fat,
trans fat and cholesterol intake?
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is needed in the body to make hormones, tissues, build cells and produce vitamin D.
Cholesterol comes from two sources; it is made inside the body (in the liver) and it comes from the diet. Only foods from an animal source contain cholesterol. Foods that are high in cholesterol include meat, liver, eggs, poultry, shellfish (shrimp and lobster), butter, cheese, and dairy products. Eating a diet that is high in such animal products can increase one’s cholesterol levels.
Source: American Heart Association;
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4513
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What is LDL and HDL cholesterol?
LDL and HDL cholesterol are technical terms used for the types of cholesterol found in the blood. Sometimes they are referred to just as “good” cholesterol and “bad” cholesterol. “Bad” cholesterol is really low-density lipoprotein (LDL). “Good” cholesterol is high-density lipoprotein (HDL). LDL and HDL work in opposition of each other. It is important to keep one’s LDL level low since it carries cholesterol to the arteries and can lead to cholesterol buildup. At the same time, HDL removes cholesterol from the arteries so it is good to have a high level of HDL.
High levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol can be a risk factor for heart disease while high HDL levels seem to be protective against heart disease.
Want to keep them straight? Always remember that the “L” in LDL (bad) cholesterol means “lousy” cholesterol.
Source: American Heart Association
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What is the link between blood cholesterol and heart disease?
Having high blood cholesterol is one of the main risk factors for heart disease. The higher one’s total cholesterol, the greater the chance of developing heart disease and/or having a heart attack according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). High levels of cholesterol in the blood can lead to unwanted build-up in the artery walls, narrowing blood flow to the heart. This decreased blood flow to the heart causes heart disease, which can lead to heart attack, stroke and even death.
Source: National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
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What impact does cholesterol found in food have on heart disease?
Cholesterol found in foods has long been linked with increased levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol in the blood. That is why eating too much cholesterol from foods is associated with an increased risk for heart disease. The recommendation to limit one’s intake of dietary cholesterol, which goes back as far as 1968, is still important today. Foods that contain cholesterol are derived from animals and include products such as butter, higher fat milk products and cheese, egg yolks and meats.
Source: 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report
http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/report/HTML/D4_Fats.htm
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At what age should I start to have my family’s cholesterol checked?
You should always check with your doctor or qualified health professional about your risk for heart disease, which might include having blood cholesterol levels checked.
Source: National Heart Lung and Blood Institute’s National Cholesterol Education Program; www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/chol/wyntk.htm
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Should my child have routine cholesterol checks?
While some experts do not believe it is necessary for all children to get routine cholesterol checks, you should always check with your child’s doctor or qualified health care professional. Children over the age of two who may need to have their cholesterol checked if they have:
- A father or grandfather that has had heart disease at the age of 55 years or younger
- A mother or grandmother that has had heart disease at the age of 65 years or younger
- A parent that has high blood cholesterol levels (240 mg/dl or higher)
- The child is over weight.
Source: National Heart Lung and Blood Institute;
http://nhlbisupport.com/chd1/faqall.htm
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If my child has high cholesterol levels, should she/he be put on cholesterol-lowering medication?
Children with high blood cholesterol levels should be under the care of a doctor or other qualified health care professional who can ultimately determine the best course of treatment. Experts usually recommend that most children who have high cholesterol levels first try to lower their cholesterol by eating a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, increasing their physical activity levels, and losing excess weight.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics; http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;101/1/141
Source: National Cholesterol Education Program;
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/ncep/
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At what age should children start limiting their saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol intake?
Leading health organizations including the American Heart Association, the American Dietetic Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommend that anyone over the age of two limit their intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol.
Source: The American Heart Association, The American Dietetic Association and The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
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