Prevalence of high cholesterol still an issue for US youths

By Sally Robertson, B.Sc.Aug 14 2012

Cholesterol levels seem to have improved over the last two decades among young individuals in the US, but a high prevalence of unfavorable lipid profiles is still being observed among this population, report researchers.

For example, in 2007-2012, over 20% of children aged 9-11 years had either a low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level or a high non-HDL cholesterol level, report Brian Kit (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA) and colleagues.

The findings come from an analysis of available data for children aged 6-19 years who were included in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys conducted in 1988-1994, 1999-2002, and 2007-2010.

"No other studies have measured serum lipid concentrations among youths in a nationally representative sample of the US population for as long as NHANES," remarks the team in JAMA.

The researchers report that, among youths aged 6-19 years, the mean level of total cholesterol (TC) decreased significantly, from 165 mg/dL in 1988 through 1994 to 160 mg/dL in 2007 through 2010. And the prevalence of elevated TC (≥200 mg/dL) also significantly decreased, from 11.3% to 8.1%.

In addition, the mean level of HDL cholesterol significantly increased between these time periods, from 50.5 mg/dL to 52.2 mg/dL, although the prevalence of low HDL cholesterol (40 mg/dL) remained unchanged.

Kit and colleagues also report that the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol significantly dropped during these periods, from 115 mg/dL to 107 mg/dL, as did the prevalence of high non-HDL cholesterol (≥145 mg/dL), which fell from 13.6% to 10.0%.

However, during 2007-2010, 22% of youths still had either a low HDL cholesterol level or a high non-HDL cholesterol level, which, "according to the most recent cardiovascular health guidelines for children and adolescents, indicates a need for additional clinical evaluation," warn Kit et al.

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