According to the CDC, about 1 in 5 teens have high cholesterol. About 1 in 3 of the teens in the CDC's research study were overweight or obese. The details of these teen cholesterol findings can be found in the January 22, 2010 edition of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly report. The boys' cholesterol levels were higher than that of the girls. Overweight teens were much more likely to have high cholesterol than those with a normal weight.
How to Lower Your Teen's High Cholesterol:
1. The first thing you need to do is make a visit to your doctor's office and have your child's cholesterol levels checked. This is especially true if your teen is overweight, a smoker or has a family history of elevated cholesterol levels. The most accurate cholesterol test is one that's done after fasting overnight. This will require that you plan ahead and make the appointment in the early morning so your teen doesn't have to miss a meal.
2. Don't feel silly asking for a cholesterol check for your teen. You may be surprised to know that some pediatric cardiology departments run regular clinics just for kids with high cholesterol. Some of those kids are elementary school-aged.
3. Eliminate the worst offenders for cholesterol in the diet. They almost always come from animal-based foods like meat and dairy products. Here, read more about how to follow a cholesterol-lowering diet.
4. Get your child involved in a sport or physical activity that they enjoy. The emphasis is on enjoy. Kids that participate in sports have better grades and make better lifestyle choices like delaying sexual activity and avoiding drug use. If they like what they do, they'll do it more often. Another way to encourage exercise is to work out with your teen. It's not as though you couldn't benefit from exercise, too right? What better way to establish a connection with your child and set a positive example? Remember that children learn what they live.
0 comments:
Post a Comment