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Parents who have problems with bad cholesterol and who suffer from coronary heart disease do not often know that they can pass the disease along to their children. Coronary heart disease occurs when the body undergoes the atherosclerotic process - which when the arteries build up with fatty plaque. This process can often begin when a person is in childhood and will slowly increase during adulthood.
Over 450,000 people a year suffer and die from this disease in the United States alone. There are many things to look for in your children to see if your child is at risk for this disease. If any of the symptoms are noticed than the child should be brought to your physician and taken car of immediately.
- If a child has high levels of cholesterol then they will be prone to contracting adult atheroscelerosis
- Eating the wrong foods and certain genes could affect the blood cholesterol levels and raise the risk of coronary heart disease.
- It is important to look for signs of high blood pressure.
- Being overweight could affect and raise the risk of coronary heart disease.
- Diabetes Mellitus is a risk factor for coronary heart disease and should be treated as soon as possible.
Doctors encourage a healthy diet and a good exercise routine for any child (even if they are not at risk) to help reduce any chances of adult atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Below is a chart of the levels of cholesterol that your child should be at and has been approved by the American Heart Association.
Cholesterol levels in children and adolescents 2-19 years old:
Total cholesterol (mg/dL)
Acceptable - less than 170
Borderline - 170-199
High - 200 or greater
LDL cholesterol (mg/dL)
Acceptable - less than 110
Borderline - 110-129
High - 130 or greater
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