Coming home after eight hours of school and sitting in front of the TV with junk food isn't helping the current obesity epidemic in children. A new study found that many preteens have high cholesterol levels.
According to a new study, nearly one-third of children between the ages of nine and 11 could be at high risk of having high cholesterol levels, which can later result in cardiovascular problems.
The study presented at the American College of Cardiology's annual conference in Washington, found that after studying 12,702 children who had been tested for cholesterol levels at the Texas Children's Pediatrics Associates clinics, over 30 percent tested had "borderline" or "abnormal" levels of cholesterol.
Thomas Seery, a pediatric cardiologist at Texas Children's Hospital, assistant professor at the Baylor College of Medicine, and lead investigator of the study, said that the findings posed a problem that has been "underdiagnosed."
"The sheer number of kids with abnormal lipid profiles provides further evidence that this is a population that needs attention and could potentially benefit from treatment," Seery said in the news release. "But we can only intervene if we diagnose the problem."
Obesity, heart disease and diabetes have been affecting an overwhelming number of Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 17 million Americans have high cholesterol, which puts them at a risk for having a stroke.
The study also found that 32 percent had borderline or low levels of "good" HDL cholesterol; 36 percent had borderline or elevated levels; and 46 percent had borderline or elevated levels.
"We really need to emphasize prevention, and that begins in childhood," Robert Eckel, former president of the American Heart Association said, according to USA Today. "This could be a good opportunity to sit down with parents and move them in the right direction."
