A long-term study of more than 1,000 healthy children found that a heart-healthy diet has little effect on a key cholesterol-like substance called Lp(a). High Lp(a) is a known risk factor for heart disease, but this study shows that diet alone cannot lower it in children.
The study followed children from infancy to age 15 as part of the STRIP project in Finland. Researchers measured Lp(a) levels at 10 different ages. They found that Lp(a) naturally rises until about age 13, then drops slightly in boys. Girls had higher Lp(a) at every age. Importantly, Lp(a) levels tracked strongly from one age to the next, meaning a child's level at age 1 was a good predictor of their level years later.
When it came to diet, the results were clear: a heart-healthy diet focused on fat quality, sucrose, and fiber did not meaningfully lower Lp(a). In fact, meeting the dietary fat quality goal was linked to a small 2.5% increase in Lp(a). Sucrose intake was associated with modestly higher Lp(a), while fiber had no effect. At age 15, about 16% of children had elevated Lp(a).
The takeaway is that Lp(a) is largely determined by genetics and early-life levels, not by diet. This study reinforces that Lp(a) should be measured early to identify children at higher risk for future heart problems. However, the findings are from a single study and need confirmation.
