Dr Sarah Brewer
Following recent US research that one in five American teenagers has unhealthy cholesterol levels, GP Dr Sarah Brewer and nutraceuticals company Works With Water warn UK teens could be next in line unless something is done to improve the way British children and teens live.
Dr Sarah Brewer, a GP and Registered Nutritionist, who has been working closely with Works With Water to promote healthy diet for cholesterol reduction, warns: "The US has been a trendsetter for lifestyle-related conditions since the 1970s.
"Increases in the prevalence of conditions relating to cardiovascular disease - such as obesity, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol tend to start rising there before the trend spreads to Europe."
Recent research, by the US Centres for Disease Control, found that over 20 per cent of teens (12 to 19 years old) have unhealthy cholesterol levels, putting them at higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Researchers also found that the heaviest teens were more likely to have an elevated cholesterol - although 14 per cent with normal body weight were also found to have unhealthy cholesterol levels.
Dr Sarah Brewer, author of Cut Your Cholesterol (Quercus 2009) shares her concerns: "This trend towards unhealthy teenage cholesterol is particularly worrying. Not only is this likely to cause an increase in serious cardiovascular conditions in the young, but poor health in youth often translates to ill health in adulthood.
"As with other US health trends, the UK may well follow the US lead, which is of huge concern for the nation’s health.
"We need to heed this warning. Cholesterol is something that can be improved through a number of dietary and lifestyle changes, which is the ideal approach for teenagers. Prevention is better than cure, however.
"It is important to take action sooner rather than later where the health of our children is concerned."
Dr Sarah Brewer has five tips to help maintain a healthy cholesterol balance:
1.Take regular exercise. Thirty minutes of moderate physical activity, five days a week (and preferably every day) helps to protect against cardiovascular disease as well as making it easier to maintain a healthy weight. Children and teens should ideally aim for 60 active minutes everyday
2.Increase the ‘good’ fats in your diet. Choose foods that are high in monounsaturated or omega-3 polyunsaturated fats. Healthy fats are found in olive oil, rapeseed oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, wholegrains and fish
3.Reduce the ‘bad’ fats in your diet. Choose your foods wisely and steer clear of foods containing unhealthy fats, such as crisps, buns, cakes and pastries. Switch to lower-fat products such as skinless chicken, lean mince and semi-skimmed milk. Cut visible fat from meats, and grill rather than fry to reduce your overall fat intake. Have some vegetarian days every week, too
4.Increase your dietary fibre. Try to eat more foods high in dietary fibre such as fruits and vegetables, porridge oats and other high fibre, unsweetened cereals. You can also include supplements containing barley-beta glucan
5.Eat the right amount without missing meals. Balance the animal, fish and vegetable intake in your diet but try not to skip meals. Because missing meals can often lead to overeating, try to eat five to six balanced mini-meals to keep your appetite in check
Tagged in Health