Doctors Recommend Cholesterol Tests, Drugs for Kids

RAY SUAREZ:

More than 1 out of 3 American children is considered overweight or obese. Doctors have been considering the best ways to fight what many now call an obesity epidemic.

The most influential pediatricians' group has released its strongest guidelines yet to tackle the problem. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends "cholesterol screenings for children who are 2 years or older, if they have a family history of cardiac disease or have one of several other risk factors; greater use of cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as statins, for a select group of kids who are eight or older at risk; and lifestyle and diet changes, even among the youngest children."

For more, I'm joined by Dr. Sarah Clauss, a pediatric cardiologist who works with obese children and those with heart problems at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

And if you go to the pediatrician routinely with your child, how do you know whether your kid is one who should get this second look, this extra screening?

DR. SARAH CLAUSS, Pediatric Cardiologist:

Some of the risk factors that you need to look for or ask for as a pediatrician or a cardiologist are, first, is there a family history of heart disease, especially premature heart disease in men younger than 55 and women younger than 65? Sometimes the parents don't know, so that would also be a reasonable approach to screen the children at that point.

Is the child overweight or obese? Is there a history in the child of hypertension or diabetes? Those children need to have screening for high cholesterol.