To prevent more Americans from acquiring adult heart problems, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends more cholesterol screening for young people and earlier use of cholesterol-lowering medication.

The recommendation, issued by the academy on Monday, is expected to generate controversy since there is a question on the safety of prescribing cholesterol-lowering drugs for children and on what are the best approaches to prevent heart diseases upon reaching adulthood.

But academy members feel the problem has become an epidemic making the benefits of prescribing drugs outweigh the risks.

The push by the academy was sparked by the rising incidents of obesity across the nation, with 30 percent of young Americans considered overweight or obese.

Prior to the issue of the guidelines, the academy pushed that children above 10 should be given cholesterol drugs if they fail to shed off weight after half or one year of trying. But with the age cap, 30 to 60 percent of overweight problems are excluded.

The academy wants the age lowered to 8 years old, while it suggested starting cholesterol screening at age 2, but not later than 10.

The goal is to prevent heart attacks and strokes in adulthood.