Where in the world did you hear?
Kids don’t get heart disease from cholesterol. Whoever heard of a kid getting a heart attack? Let them eat what they like, you can worry when they get older.
Sound Advice:
Wrong, wrong, wrong. Not only can children have high cholesterol, some have evidence of atherosclerotic heart disease by the time they are three years old. Autopsies of “healthy” kids after automobile accidents have revealed coronary artery lesions in early adolescence. Think about this: heart disease can start in childhood.
Does that mean that parents have to lock their children in the house and feed them nothing but oatmeal? Obviously not, since we know that good health can come from eating a wonderful variety of fun foods and being active. Foremost in the minds of parents should be a “foods to avoid” list consisting of any items high in fat and sugars. The American Heart Association has established the guideline that fat Calories should make up less than 30% of the total diet, much of that fat being unsaturated. Without having to take a calculator to the store, parents can generally feel safe if their kids’ total daily fat intake is between 50 and 75 grams, starting at age two and ending at age 10. And how can you tell how much fat you’re buying? Read the labels and do a little simple arithmetic. If your child’s magic number is 60 grams of fat per day, you might be impressed that a single slice of pizza contains 10 to 20 grams, some ice cream bars contain 40 grams and some cheese snacks contain, omigosh, 60 to 70 grams of fat in a single bag! Kids who eat lots of cheese, hot dogs, fried chicken, fast foods, ice cream and cookies are living dangerously.
As a rule of thumb, any single serving of more than 10 grams should be given extra thought before presenting it to your child. What’s good to give your kids? Try cereals and whole-grain breads, yogurt, low-fat cheeses and milk, soups with veggies, rice, fresh fruit, chicken, ham or turkey meats, canned tuna, fresh fish, and varieties of vegetables, both raw and cooked.
The most important thing to remember is that parents must be in control of the eating patterns of their children. Good health and longevity are, in many ways, determined by the kinds of food we eat. Children often want foods that are dangerous to their health and it is our job to steer them to a lifestyle that includes healthy eating.
The Conclusion:
Foods and snacks that are high in saturated fat can lead to heart disease even in small children. Parents must make smart choices for their children, avoiding those foods which can pose a risk to health.