Experts call for cholesterol drugs to be used in young children

Medical specialists in the U.S. are calling for more stringent cholesterol screenings for young children.

They say children as young as 8 years old should be tested and those with high cholesterol levels should be prescribed medication to help lower it and if a child has values within the normal range, testing should be repeated in three to five years.

The recommendation comes from the American Academy of Pediatrics who say the children who must be tested are those who are obese, or have other heart disease risks including diabetes and hypertension.

They say children between the ages of 2 and 10, who have a family history of the condition should also be screened, and those with high levels of HDL should be put on cholesterol lowering drugs.

According to the Academy of Pediatrics the children should receive the same test as adults - a blood test known as a fasting lipid profile. Such tests are currently rarely given to young children as part of their standard medical care.

The Academy says parents and doctors should also consider diets and exercise programmes for small children with high cholesterol - including giving reduced-fat milk to heavier children who consume dairy products.