Worry over fat is driving down milk consumption, he says. Instead of trying to ban certain foods to reduce cholesterol, parents should provide a variety of healthy things to eat, encourage exercise and limit TV, Lifshitz says. Studies show that watching four hours of TV a day puts youngsters at greater risk for high cholesterol than having a parent who suffered a heart attack by middle age. Parents also may underestimate the impact their own eating has on kids, says registered dietitian Keith Ayoob of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. Think moderation, not elimination.
Moderation is probably the missing nutrient in most kids.