Q. I have a cheese lover  -- my son eats up to three slices a day. Is that too much cholesterol?

A. Not necessarily! Dairy is loaded with calcium (crucial for growing bones), protein, and other nutrients. That's why the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids have three daily servings of dairy foods such as cheese, milk, and yogurt.

Children under the age of 2 need fat and cholesterol for brain development, but after that they should eat the same lower-fat diet as adults. Luckily, cheese, yogurt, and milk come in low-fat versions. Just limit ice cream and butter, which pack more fat and cholesterol than nutrients.

One note: If you or your spouse has a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease before age 55, your child's blood cholesterol level should be checked after he turns 2. If it's high, then his diet should be carefully controlled; a nutritionist can help.

Know, too, that an overweight kid's more likely to have high cholesterol. Exercise can help keep those levels down, so, besides watching his diet, make sure he gets lots of playtime.

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