I am looking for information about high “bad” cholesterol and its interaction with juvenile diabetes. Our five year old son had a high reading and we are trying to make adjustments in his food intake. Is a garlic supplement helpful for the treatment of high cholesterol? It’s a challenge to get him to eat anything, let alone “healthy” stuff.

Research has shown that children with diabetes have a greater chance of having higher cholesterol levels, but usually not so high as to be extremely worrisome. Oftentimes there is a family history of high cholesterol levels and diabetes.

I agree it is very challenging to get children to eat well, especially if they have diabetes and high cholesterol levels. Garlic may help, but it is very difficult to take and it can cause some nasty side effects. It may be okay for older folks to try it, but I would not recommend it for young folks. Please speak with your doctor about this if trying to follow the diet for several months does not work — some medications may be indicated. I assume you have made the obvious changes, such as less meat, lean meats, skim milk, plenty of fruits and veggies, etc. etc.

LSF