Cholesterol lowering diets can help reduce cholesterol in children with familial hypercholesterolaemia but there is not enough evidence to measure the benefit.
People with familial hypercholesterolaemia (an inherited disorder) have raised blood cholesterol and ischaemic heart disease (where the heart is damaged by inadequate blood flow). Blood cholesterol must be lowered to reduce the risk of ischaemic heart disease. For adults, drugs can be used but they may not all be suitable for children. A controlled diet is used to reduce cholesterol in children. The review of trials found no evidence that a cholesterol lowering diet is more effective at lowering cholesterol and reducing ischaemic heart disease than other diets. There is not enough evidence to measure the effectiveness of any of these diets. More research is needed.