Here’s another sign of how childhood obesity is seriously hurting kids’ health. An influential doctors’ group now recommends some children as young as age eight take cholesterol-fighting drugs to prevent having heart problems when they get older.
When I first saw the new guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), I thought I should be shocked, but the sad thing is I’m not…Â just sad that it’s come to this.
The AAP says the new advice is based on growing evidence that shows damage leading to heart disease begins early in life. And recent studies show drugs that lower cholesterol (statins) are generally safe for children. But should kids really take statins? For how long? What about diet and exercise?
The theory is if doctors are more aggressive about cholesterol in childhood, it may help avoid heart attacks and strokes when they’re adults. But some pediatricians argue, there’s no proof it would work.
The guidelines say drugs would generally be prescribed for kids at least eight-years-old who have too much LDL - the “bad” cholesterol - plus other risky conditions, like obesity and high blood pressure. Again these are children.
For overweight kids who don’t have enough HDL - the “good” cholesterol - the recommendations say the first step should be weight loss, more physical activity and nutritional counseling.
The AAP says kids should be screened between ages two and 10 if they have a family history of heart disease.
Because of the obesity epidemic, the group is also now reversing its stance on milk, recommending low-fat milk for one-year-olds “for whom overweight or obesity is a concern.” The academy has long recommended against reduced-fat milk for children up to age two because they need saturated fats for brain development.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 32 percent of children are overweight or obese.
Okay, enough. Kids on pills and at risk for “adult” diseases just isn’t right. A few months ago, I did a story about preventing childhood obesity (and more are on the way, I assure you). It’s actually a video news story - take a look and let me know what you think. Anyone else disturbed by these new guidelines?
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Tags: American Academy of Pediatrics, childhood obesity, Children, cholesterol, heart disease, milk, obesity, overweight kids
