Die pädiatrische Gesellschaft empfiehlt, alle Kinder zwischen 2 und 10 Jahren auf hohe Cholesterinwerte zu untersuchen

This sounds bizarre but „familial hypercholesterolemia“ is not ultra-rare and causes lifelong high cholesterol independent of diet – sadly once it’s usually discovered in older adults, a lot of the damage has been done, and statin use will just stop /slow it from progressing to literal heart failure. Starting young in this genetic group could actually significantly increase expected lifespan and lifetime cardiovascular fitness.

Dietary modification (less animal fat, more plant fats like olive oil or sunflower oil, more soluble fiber like oats) and weight loss if obese would be the best first line treatment but statins could definitely be indicated if that doesn’t bring LDL down.

Is the 1/300 number accurate?

‘What are you eating?’  

Have you ever had a doctor ask you dietary questions?  

Yes, familial hypercholesterolemia is real. I should have been on statins from an early age. We even knew we had it in the family and I’d been getting tested since about age 10 but I think at the time even doctors were hesitant to prescribe that young. It took my brother’s very severe and almost deadly mid 30’s heart attack to wake us all up to the fact that we need to take it more seriously.

The 1/300 number might be accurate across the world but it’s even more common among certain French Canadian populations where it can be up to 6x more common than that.

Certainly doesn’t mean those of us with it should give up on a good diet, but sometimes it’s not enough and you need the meds. Or you could just die young.