Kids and Cholesterol

Don't be surprised if your kids pediatrician starts talking to you about your child's cholesterol level. A group of researchers, from both the U.S. and Canada are looking at a sort of chart to determine when kids are in the red zone.

"Obesity, inactivity and cholesterol are closely linked, and data from the latest U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) finds that 17 percent of U.S. teens are overweight. Just one in four high school students packs enough physical activity into their day, and 12 percent get little or no daily exercise, reports the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

Given that, doctors would also look at the same kind of lifestyles that lead adults to have cardiovascular problems like smoking.

In the meantime - if you've got kids, get them moving - activity and trimming portions are two of the biggest heart boosters we have.