Lipid Profiles Performed at the Time of Routine Physical Examinations in 9-11 Year Olds Within Texas Children's Pediatric Associates Primary Care Pediatric Clinics

Plant-based diets for children as a means of improving adult cardiometabolic health

“…We know, however, from the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, Childhood Determinants of Adult Health study, Bogalusa Heart Study, and Muscatine Study, that other classical CVD risk factors relate to adult atherosclerosis independently from BMI, 78 and would therefore benefit from additional interventions. For example, recent evidence from the US suggests that up to 1/3 of pre-pubertal children with normal weight have abnormal lipid levels 114 and that the prevalence of hypertension in the paediatric population has been increasing. 115 Therefore interventions effectively targeting all classical risk factors in young people could potentially play a key role in preventive strategies.…”

“…27,117 Vegan and vegetarian children have lower rates of overweight and obesity. 28 Preliminary evidence suggests that they have lower cholesterol levels 118,114 and higher antioxidant status in the blood. 120 They consume more fruits and vegetables than their omnivore counterparts.…”

Healthy obese child: when and in whom do comorbidities develop?

“…In fact obese preschool and prepubertal children do not frequently experience metabolic complications and their insulin sensitivity is usually well preserved [21][22][23]. They are also naturally active and physical activity is known to exert a beneficial effect on visceral fat content.…”

“…In obese adolescents several complications of the excess body weight such as dyslipidemia, hypertension and impaired glucose tolerance have been described [2,[23][24][25][26]. The increasing rate of childhood obesity in developed and developing countries results in an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome and T2D.…”