Now I’ve got to worry about my kids’ cholesterol.

The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends cholesterol testing for kids after age 2 if there is a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease. It also calls for testing if the family history is unknown or for those with other risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure or diabetes. If the readings are normal, the test should be repeated in three to five years. And get this: cholesterol-reducing drugs should be considered for kids older than 8 with high LDL levels.

Our kids fit the testing criteria. There’s a history of heart disease and high cholesterol on both sides of the family. But still, is this really necessary? Our boys, ages 8 months and 2, eat a low-fat diet and get lots of exercise. My fear is that testing too early would lead to heavy-handed and ultimately unnecessary treatment. But then again, knowledge is a good thing. Knowing my cholesterol makes me eat more healthfully. And as the New York Times has reported, researchers say the obesity epidemic gives new urgency to dealing with heart disease early.

Still, it reminds me of my pediatrician's comment about lead testing. When I asked if our kids should be tested, she said she’s not had a case in a decade of practice in South Florida. The new construction in this area means chipping lead paint is, in most cases, rare. After the scare about lead in toys from China, she got several requests for tests, but usually discouraged them. The blood test is hard for kids, and the threat wasn’t high enough to justify it. Cholesterol is not lead poisoning, but could there be a parallel idea here: can we take too much precaution?

So what would you do?

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