Kids Cholestrol

Kids Cholestrol

Pediatricians don't always check children's cholesterol levels. But sometimes maybe they should.

"If you have a history of early-onset heart disease in your family, including heart attack, or if you or your husband has high cholesterol, talk to your doctor about having your child's cholesterol level tested at an early age," says Basil Rifkind, M.D., senior scientific advisor for the National Heart advisor for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutes's Vascular Research Program. "It's important to note that whether or not your children have high cholesterol, they ought to be on a low-fat, heart-healthy diet."