title: Parents' beliefs about cholesterol and its effects on their children.
abstract: A random sample of parents of primary grade children (N = 500) was obtained from two higher socioeconomic-status suburban elementary schools. The respondents (n = 277) were well educated  (92% attended or graduated from college), white (92%), primarily higher in socioeconomic status (79% earned more than $50,000/year), and female (70%). Two-thirds of the parents believed that all elementary school children should have their cholesterol levels checked, 70% believed high cholesterol in children was serious, yet only 21% believed their child would develop a high cholesterol level. To control their children's cholesterol level, the majority of parents (73%) made lifestyle changes for their children since the majority believed high cholesterol levels would clog arteries (95%) and cause heart disease (90%). Parents most often received their information on cholesterol from magazines (73%), newspapers (62%), and physicians (52%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion & Human Performance, University of Toledo, Ohio 43606.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Telljohann
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Desmond
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Todd
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol