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Triglyceride Levels in Children

Triglycerides are naturally occurring fats and one of the body's main sources of energy. While crucial to the process of metabolism, an excess of triglycerides in the blood causes a condition called hypertriglyceridemia---a key risk factor for heart disease. 

  1. Identification

    • Children often do not show any symptoms of hypertriglyceridemia. There is, however, a strong correlation between obesity and high triglyceride levels in children. Foods high in sugar and simple carbohydrates, such as soft drinks, fruit juices, baked goods and candy, have a pronounced effect on triglyceride levels. Lack of physical exercise is another factor that can increase triglycerides. Lipid levels are also affected by several conditions, including diabetes, kidney disease and hypothyroidism.

    Significance

    • While there is a great deal of focus on triglyceride levels in adults, pediatricians often overlook the dangers of elevated triglycerides in children. Evidence shows that high triglyceride levels in children and adolescents are a predictor of heart disease risk in later years. A 2009 Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center study found that 37 percent of adult heart disease victims had elevated triglyceride levels as children. In addition, children with high triglycerides were more likely to have unsafe triglyceride levels as adults.

    Testing

    • Triglyceride levels are measured through a simple blood test known as a lipid profile. This test also measures other heart disease risk factors, including total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, children age 2 or older should receive a lipid profile if they have a family history of early heart disease or have at least one parent with significantly elevated cholesterol or triglyceride levels. A healthy triglyceride level in children is below 150 mg/dL.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Maintaining a healthy diet and a regular program of exercise is the first step toward lowering triglycerides in children. Supplementing with fish oil has also been proven beneficial. A study conducted at the Children's Heart Center found that triglyceride levels in children and teenagers with significant heart disease risk factors dropped 32 percent after 12 weeks of fish oil supplementation and adherence to a diet high in protein, vegetables and fruit.

    Considerations

    • Some children have an inherited form of elevated cholesterol and triglycerides known as genetic hyperlipidemia. Dietary modifications and fish oil supplementation may not be effective in reducing triglyceride levels in these patients. Some doctors recommend the use of statin drugs in children over the age of 10 when lifestyle changes fail to improve lipid levels, however, the long-term effects of statins in children have not been well-studied.

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