It's the next step in the growing problem of over weight children. Now pediatricians nationwide are recommending that along with those regular checkups and boosters at the pediatrician’s office, children add another screening common for adults.

Doctors have yet another concern about children carrying too much fat.

"What they're now recommending is that children, young children should have their cholesterol measured on a regular basis and their lipid profile measured on a regular basis," says Dr. Alan Robson, Medical Director of Children's Hospital and Pediatric Kidney Specialist.

And doctors are talking about children as young as kindergarten.

 "As the children are getting more and more obese, we're seeing much more type 2 diabetes in childhood," he says. "Ten to 15 years ago I don't think I'd ever seen a child with type 2 diabetes and now it's becoming quite prevalent."

Dr. Robson says carrying extra fat, diabetes, and high cholesterol cause early heart disease. In fact two landmark studies done by local doctors have been major contributors to what pediatricians now know.

Studies done at both LSU Health Sciences Center and Tulane by Dr. Jack Strong and Dr. Gerald Berenson have shown that the signs of damage to the heart and arteries start in childhood and adolescence from poor diets and lack of exercise. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatricians now says that after the age of only one, children need to switch from whole milk to a low fat version.

Nutrition experts say children mimic parents who exercise and eat healthful meals of fruits, vegetables and good fats, like those in olive oil, nuts and fish.

"The parental behavior, the parental attitude towards food towards exercise greatly impacts what that child will eventually like to eat what type of activity the child will like to do," says Registered Dietitian and Director of Dietary Services at Children's Hospital, Heidi Gereighty.

Medical experts say diet and exercise should be the first course of action to lower cholesterol. Children will lose weight; healthful foods will lower bad cholesterol, while exercise will raise the good cholesterol.

But now doctors are so concerned they say children who don't lower cholesterol through lifestyle should go on statin drugs. These are drugs that have been used in adults that work in the liver to prevent the fat you eat from converting to bad cholesterol.

"In my opinion, the side effects are few and far between and the benefits are considerable and for the academy of pediatrics they say that the complication rate's small and the benefits are great," says Dr. Robson.

Children need some fat to feed their developing brains, but Dr. Robson's studies show they get enough from other foods and the statins won't affect this.

But he does warn that just one extra small 100-300 calorie snack a day can add 9-24 extra pounds in a year. 

Nutritionists say it's hard to persuade teens to change habits by preaching heath. They say it's better to entice them through fitting in to the style clothes they want, having nicer skin and performing better in school sports.