The health habits that children learn when they are young will carry through to adulthood. By the same token, bad health habits, such as eating a high-fat diet and lack of exercise that lead to heart disease, are learned in childhood. Doctors are now recommending that in situations where there is a family history of early cardiovascular disease, children over the age of 12 should be put on a diet of low-fat dairy products.

The child’s level of physical activity will need to increase in this situation, to between 30-60 minutes, five or six times every week. Medication may be prescribed in some situations as well.