Biochemical, Clinical, Epidemiologic, Genetic, and Pathologic Data in the Pediatric Age Group Relevant to the Cholesterol Hypothesis

The recent National Institutes of Health Concensus Conference on Lowering Blood Cholesterol to Prevent Heart Disease made several recommendations for healthy children older than 2 years of age.1 These recommendations are summarized in Table 1. In a commentary in Pediatrics, A. M. Mauer2 outlined three major concerns regarding the proceedings and recommendations of this consensus conference. First, he concluded from the proceedings that "the significance of serum cholesterol levels as an independent variable could not be definitely assigned." Second, data from adults were being extrapolated to children; "there are no available data on children." Third, he questioned the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of the dietary recommendations for children and adolescents.