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New guidelines say children should be screened for high cholesterol

Travis Hobart, MDChildren between age 9 and 11, and again between 18 and 21, should have their cholesterol checked through a blood test, according to new guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Testing previously was reserved for children whose families included a history of high cholesterol, explains Upstate pediatrician Travis Hobart, MD. Now the strategy is to identify cholesterol problems early to allow time to intervene. "Children with high cholesterol are much more likely to become adults with a bad cholesterol profile," he says.

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