AAP Recommends Lipid Screening, Treatment in Children

But Dr. Lawrence D. Rosen, a pediatrician in Oradell, N.J., and vice chair of AAP's section on complementary and integrative medicine, objected to the focus on medication in the new recommendations.

While there is a lot of good information in the paper, he said, he is concerned that there is not enough research to warrant publicly advocating for the use of pharmacological therapy in children. The better approach would have been a strong message about the problem of obesity and metabolic syndrome and a call for greater research into preventive approaches, Dr. Rosen said.

The AAP statement also outlines an updated population approach to preventing cardiovascular disease. For example, the organization recommends following the government-issued Dietary Guidelines for Americans, including using low-fat dairy products, in children as young as 2 years. Reduced-fat milk can also be used in children between 1 and 2 years of age if they have a family history of obesity, dyslipidemia, or cardiovascular disease, or overweight/obesity is a concern.

In an effort to address concerns about conflicts of interest, AAP policy requires that all of its committee members sign conflict of interest disclosure forms and declare any potential conflicts related to the committee's charge at each meeting. Members are asked to voluntarily recuse themselves if a potential conflict exists. The process is supervised by committee oversight bodies, according to AAP.