We Are Like Politicians ...

We doctors always think we are right, and are not afraid to obnoxiously declare that to each other.

A prime example is the debate over this week's journal Pediatrics, which takes issue with the advice about checking cholesterol levels in children.

When should your children be checked?

A government appointed task force said a few months ago that it should be at age 9.

But now, some pediatricians are breathing fire. This week they called out the task force and said -- out of the 14 members, eight had some link to the drug industry. The links vary, and may be innocent, but the point is, they had links.

So now, some are saying, what's the agenda? To have little kids wash down a statin drug with their daily glass of milk?

The panel says, no no no. Thats not what we meant. Out of all the kids tested, only 1 percent might need medication. But the big problem with any of this is that we have no direct proof that a cholesterol level at age nine has any bearing on a coronary artery at age 45.

So as we doctors beat each other up, what should you do?

Sure, you can consider a cholesterol panel at age 9. But every kid? not so sure about that.

But I do think its worth a peak if a kid has diabetes, or a family history of early heart disease.

But no matter the result of that test, you need to start the fix by watching your kids diet and pushing exercise.

And if the level is good, watch your kids diet and push exercise.

And while you're at it, set the example and personally do the same down diet and exercise avenue.