The prevention of cardiovascular disease beginning in childhood has two strategies: a population (public health) approach and an individualized approach. The population approach is aimed at lowering blood cholesterol levels in all healthy American children. The individualized approach targets those children at high risk. The population approach requires the cooperative effort of parents, schools, government and industry to back healthy nutrition and provide healthy food choices that are attractive to children and adolescents. The individualized approach requires the cooperative efforts of physicians, nurses, nutritionists and other health professionals to identify and treat children at highest risk.