Abstract
Background. While primary prevention of adult cardiovascular diseases should begin early, there are problems in identifying children at increased risk of future disease. Methods. We did a follow-up study in 1991-1992 of 100 male former students at a boarding high school who had blood cholesterol measured in 1970-1971 both prior to and following a school-wide, reduced-fat dietary intervention. We compared adult cholesterol levels of the 50 subjects whose cholesterol decreased ≤16.5% (the median decrease) following the 1970- 1971 intervention (Diet-Sensitive) with the 50 whose response was <16.5% (Non-Diet-Sensitive). Results. Blood cholesterol of adults who were Diet- Sensitive in 1970-1971 was 4.2 mg/dl lower than their baseline values in adolescence, while adults classified as Non-Diet-Sensitive as adolescents showed a 15.9 mg/dl increase in cholesterol over 21 years. Adjusting for baseline adolescent values, Non-Diet-Sensitive subjects were 4.8 (95% CI 1.4, 15.9) times as likely as Diet-Sensitive subjects to have adult cholesterol ≤200 mg/dl. Also, Diet-Sensitive adults on a low-fat diet had adult blood cholesterol levels >20 mg/dl lower than Non-Diet-Sensitive adults on a similar diet (180.1 vs 292.1 mg/dl, respectively). Conclusions. Degree of response to a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet during adolescence may identify male subjects who will have differing patterns of cholesterol change over time.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 686-693 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Preventive Medicine |
Volume | 26 |
Issue number | 5 I |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 1997 |
Keywords
- Cholesterol
- Coronary disease
- Diet, fat-restricted
- Primary prevention