The American Academy of Pediatrics reports some children as young as eight should be given cholesterol-fighting drugs to avoid future heart problems. It is the strongest guidance ever given on the issue by AAP, which released its new guidelines Monday.

As a former athlete, Wanda Nelson has always watcher her weight. As a mother, she can't help but watch her families' as well. "Today they're having turkey sandwiches, low-fat chips and water," she said about her children.

Childhood diabetes is on the rise and more than 10 percent of kids have total cholesterol levels that are a concern in adults. Dr. Stephen Daniels, of the American Academy of Pediatrics' nutrition committee, says the new advice is based on mounting evidence showing that damage leading to heart disease begins early in life. It also stems from recent research showing that cholesterol-fighting drugs are generally safe for children, Daniels said.

"The numbers are staggering, and so the need for not only testing but medical intervention are different now than they were 15 or 20 years ago," said Dr. Sarah Clauss with the Children's Hospital. "I think that these new guidelines really reflect our community being a sedentary, overweight population."

For many kids with high cholesterol who are overweight, Dr. Clauss recommends shedding pounds as the first course of action. Some parents are concerned about the new alternative.

"I don't think children should be medicated in the first place. It's the state of our country," said Celina Bliey.

The drug treatment would generally be targeted for kids at least 8 years old who have too much LDL, the "bad" cholesterol, along with other risky conditions, including obesity and high blood pressure.

For overweight children with too little HDL, the "good" cholesterol, the first course of action should be weight loss, more physical activity and nutritional counseling, the academy says. 

Pediatricians should routinely check the cholesterol of children with a family history of inherited cholesterol disease or with parents or grandparents who developed heart disease at an early age, the recommendations say. Screening also is advised for kids whose family history isn't known and those who are overweight, obese or have other heart disease risk factors.

Screening is recommended sometime after age two but no later than age 10, at routine checkups. 

The academy's earlier advice said cholesterol drugs should only be considered in children older than 10 after they fail to lose weight. Its previous cholesterol screening recommendations also were less specific and did not include targeted ages for beginning testing.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends wider cholesterol testing and low-fat milk for one-year-olds, if their doctor recommends it.