Serum lipoproteins in children and young adults: determinants and treatment strategies.

Serum lipoproteins are related to vascular atherosclerotic changes as seen in necropsy studies of child fatal accident victims; therefore, efforts have been made to reveal the determinants of lipoprotein metabolism in children and young adults. Recent data emphasize the adverse effects of obesity, insulin resistance and high fat intake on lipid profiles of children, and currently many lifestyle and dietary intervention studies are in progress. Detection of hereditary dyslipidemias in childhood is presently hampered by diagnostic problems. However, with the advent of efficient tools for genetic mapping, early diagnosis of common genetic dyslipidemias will probably be possible in the near future.