Nowadays, with everyone leading hectic lives, not all parents are concerned about or can maintain a healthy diet at home. That’s why an issue that used to affect only adults is now emerging, and high cholesterol in children is becoming more common than we imagine. Fast food, frozen foods, snacks, and foods with a high fat content, in addition to sodas and daily sweets often available in school cafeterias, are major offenders and also responsible for this problem that has been increasing daily around the world.
In addition to poor diet, lack of physical activity and genetic predisposition are also responsible for high cholesterol in children. In the past, children played and exercised naturally, but now, with the rise of information technology in childhood, there is a growing number of sedentary children who, besides cholesterol problems, also develop obesity.
A very important piece of information that shocks most parents when a doctor requests tests is that high cholesterol in children does not occur only in those who are overweight. Many cases of thin children who eat poorly may also suffer from this problem. Many times parents are caught off guard because cholesterol is a silent problem in children, unlike adults, who, when their levels are high, show physical fatigue, chest pain, and high blood pressure, providing a warning that something is wrong.
Diet for Children with High Cholesterol
The first step to controlling high cholesterol in children is to improve the diet, including healthy foods and cutting out those that are not beneficial to health. Fatty foods and dairy products should be excluded from the diet and replaced with cereals, skim milk, fruits, vegetables, and greens.
Unfortunately, some schools allow the sale of fatty and not at all nutritious foods in their cafeterias, which makes it very difficult to control what our children eat. While others only permit healthy and natural foods to be sold and consumed at school, and in some places, there isn’t even a cafeteria, with only school-prepared food being offered under the analysis and supervision of a nutritionist.
Foods that should be cut from the menu:
- Whole milk
- Cream
- Soft and yellow cheeses
- Butter
- Fatty meats
- Processed meats such as sausages, ham, and cold cuts in general
- Filled cookies
- Mayonnaise
Sweets like chocolate, whipped cream, margarine, and vegetable creams should be crossed off the food list. Pork, bacon, sausage, and seafood such as shrimp, crab, and mussels should also be avoided due to their high fat content. High-fiber foods should be added to the daily diet, as fiber is very effective at eliminating fat from the body. Bread should be replaced with whole-grain versions, yogurt should be skim, and biscuits and cakes should also be made with whole wheat flour or be high in fiber, like oat cake.
Along with improving the diet, new habits such as physical exercise are fundamental for restoring health. Running, playing, swimming, and playing ball games are some of the sports or activities that can be easily incorporated, so the child doesn’t feel forced. Setting rules and schedules for using video games, computers, and tablets can help a lot in fighting sedentary behavior and help your child have a healthier life.
To be sure of your child’s health, ask your pediatrician for advice and consult a pediatric endocrinologist who will request tests and recommend the appropriate treatment if needed. Remember that healthy eating habits should not be adopted only by the affected child but by everyone around and living with them, thus providing not only more encouragement for the child but better health for the whole family.
See also: Food Allergy Reaction
Photo: Colleen Proppe, Riley Kaminer, R. Maas
