Special Considerations for Teens
Teens, their parents, and health-care providers also need to be sensitive to cholesterol issues affecting today’s youth. Studies show that between 15 and 20 percent of the population already has atherosclerotic plaque by the age twenty. About 10 percent of adolescents between the ages of twelve to nineteen have cholesterol levels that exceed 200 mg/dL. A study released in 2003 identified the presence of the metabolic syndrome among children between ages twelve to nineteen. The study found that 8 to 12 percent of nonobese adolescents had the metabolic syndrome, compared to 34 to 41 percent of obese adolescents, placing this group at higher risk for heart disease.
The risk for adolescents is increased further by using oral contraceptives and cigarettes. In one study among females aged twelve to seventeen years, researchers found that the total cholesterol of oral contraceptive users was significantly higher than in nonusers. Birth control users who are also smokers are at even higher risk for heart disease.
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