Researchers from Queens University in Ontario have begun to use cholesterol levels as a window to look at the long-term health consequences of kids' inactivity, media reports said Monday.

Obesity, inactivity and cholesterol are closely linked. Data from the latest U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) finds that 17 percent of U.S. teens are overweight. Just one in four high school students have enough physical activity into their day, and 12 percent get little or no daily exercise, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"There is growing scientific evidence indicating that cholesterol levels in childhood and adolescence have an effect on the development of plaque in the arteries, which is a clear indication of cardiovascular disease risk," explained study leader Ian Janssen, an assistant professor in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queens University in Ontario, Canada.

"There is also strong evidence indicating that children and youth with high cholesterol will continue to have high cholesterol in adulthood," he added. "Thus, it is important to start treatment and prevention efforts early."

Janssen and his colleagues developed age- and gender-specific reference points for total cholesterol, LDL ("bad") cholesterol, HDL ("good) cholesterol and triglyceride fat levels by using data from the NHANES on more than 6,000 kids aging 12 to 20.

The new reference data are meant to improve upon current guidelines, published by the U.S. National Cholesterol Education Program, which do not account for age-related fluctuations.

Still, Janssen noted that the guidelines have not yet been routinely adapted into clinical care settings in the United States. "These sorts of changes to clinical practice typically take years to manifest," he said.

Currently, the federal government recommends cholesterol screening for children and teens with at least one parent with high cholesterol or a family history of early heart disease.

Source:Xinhua/Agencies