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CHICAGO (AP) .- Cholesterol levels in American children and adolescents have decreased according to the latest polls, but they have come down in only half of the cases to readings considered ideal.
In surveys conducted between 2009 and 2016, 7% of children had high cholesterol, compared with 10% in the previous decade. In children, 200 or more is considered high in cholesterol. Ideal levels are below 170.
Impact on health
The researchers say the findings could reflect childhood obesity rates, which remain high, frustrated by the fact that children consume fewer snacks containing trans fats. Manufacturers began eliminating them before the US banned its ban in 2018.
The badysis is based on official surveys conducted from 1999 to 2016 among 26,000 children aged 6 to 19 who were subjected to home interviews, physical examinations and laboratory tests.
About one in four teenagers and one in five children have unhealthy blood lipids, such as cholesterol and triglycerides.
High cholesterol levels in children can lead to changes resulting in narrowing of blood vessels, said Dr. Amanda Perak, lead author of the study and cardiologist at Lurie Pediatric Hospital in Chicago. These changes create risks of stroke and other heart problems in adulthood.
In most cases, children can lower their cholesterol levels by adopting healthier habits: eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, less processed foods and do more exercise, has declared Perak.
"Lifestyle helps in the vast majority of cases," he said.
Obesity contributes to high cholesterol levels, but rates have not changed in children and adults in the United States. In 2015-2016, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 21% of adolescents, 18% of children aged 6 to 11 years and 40% of adults were obese.
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