Berger JH, Chen F, Faerber JA, et al. - Since atherosclerosis starts in childhood, universal lipid screening is advised with special focus on conditions predisposing to early atherosclerosis, and because there exist no available data regarding real-world penetration of these guidelines, therefore, researchers performed this retrospective cohort analysis employing MarketScan commercial and Medicaid insurance claims databases, a geographically representative sample of U.S. children. To ascertain whether screening rates would be low, and whether high-risk conditions would be related to a higher probability of screening, experts analyzed individuals who passed through the 9- to 11-year window and had continuous insurance coverage between 1/1/2013–12/31/2016. They found that a minority of children underwent lipid screening despite national recommendations. Although a higher likelihood of screening was observed in participants with high-risk conditions, the rates continued to be low. The necessity for research and advocacy concerning barriers to lipid screening of children in the U.S. were emphasized herein.