Early Cholesterol Screening Suggested for At-Risk Children

The road to heart disease begins in childhood. As such, the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that certain kids get their cholesterol levels checked. Children between ages 2 and 10 with the following risk factors should be screened:

• A family history of high cholesterol or early heart disease
• An unknown family history
• Other heart disease risk factors, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes