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Blood pressure, cholesterol checks becoming more common for youths

A child receives a blood pressure check. (Photo Illustration/BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Obesity indicators traditionally measured on adults are becoming more and more common in the pediatrician’s office as doctors incorporate blood pressure and cholesterol assessments as part of a child’s standard yearly checkup.

Keeping track of these biomarkers from toddlerhood through adolescence, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, will help prevent obesity later in life. 

While some parents might be surprised by this, Kayla Hamstra, a pediatric nurse practitioner at Purdue University in West Lafayette, encourages parents to advocate for their child’s health and monitor it the same way they would monitor their own.

“We do check blood pressure starting at 3 years old,” Hamstra told News 8. “It doesn’t necessarily mean there is an issue at the time, but there could be later in life. High blood pressure is an indicator of heart disease as is high cholesterol.”

Childhood obesity has been rapidly rising for the past four decades with no signs of slowing down. The American Academy of Pediatrics estimates 1 in 5 kindergartners are overweight and, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 14% of 2- to 5-year-olds and 18% of 6- to 11-year-olds are obese.

Indiana is near the top of the list, ranked as the 11th state with the highest obesity rate for children and teenagers.

Obese children are more likely to remain obese as they enter adulthood. That puts them at risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. This costs the health care system billions of unnecessary dollars considering obesity is preventable. 

It’s important to catch these things as early as possible, Hamstra said.

“Awareness of (cholesterol and blood pressure) markers and the dangers associated with high levels is a reminder to parents to reinforce a healthy lifestyle throughout childhood.”

She emphasizes healthy eating habits and proper physical activity. For example, a diet that consists of lean meats, fruits and vegetables, whole grains instead of pastas and white bread, as well as swapping whole milk for skim milk. 

“Kids don’t really need anything but milk and water,” Hamstra said. “Parents should go easy on juices and soda.”