Better cholesterol might come down to the contents of your fridge.
A few simple dietary changes were effective at reducing cholesterol levels among participants in a Canadian study published in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association.
More specifically, four types of food were recommended: soy proteins; plant sterols, or oils, such as margarine; nuts; and viscous fibers, including oat bran and barley. The foods reduced levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol so much that the dietary tweaks could replace statin drugs for some patients.
“We’re seeing more and more people who want to take their health into their own hands,” said Dr. David Jenkins, the study’s lead author and director of the University of Toronto’s Risk Factor Modification Center.
The research could allow millions of Americans to do just that. Statins to lower cholesterol levels are the country’s most commonly-prescribed medication, and an estimated 25 percent of those older than 45 take the drugs.
Researchers recruited 351 Canadian adults, all of whom had high cholesterol, and divided them into three groups.
One group was told to eat a healthy diet low in saturated fat. The two other groups received counseling from dietitians and were advised to consume more foods like soy milk, nuts, oats and beans.
All the diets were vegetarian, and consumed for six months.
At the end of the study, the most successful group were those who received the most nutrition counseling — around once a month — and been prescribed a diet heavy on those four key food items. Participants who’d adhered most strictly to the diet experienced the biggest declines in cholesterol.
Their LDL levels plummeted by 26 milligrams per deciliter. Those on a diet low in saturated fat — which is often advised for people with high cholesterol — saw their LDL cholesterol drop only 8 milligrams per deciliter. An LDL cholesterol level above 160 mg/dL is considered “high” by the American Heart Association, making it a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
While the research offers a promising, medication-free approach, positive results don’t come without a struggle: Study leaders reported that participants often found it difficult to stick with their assigned diet, and nearly 100 subjects dropped out of the study entirely.
But for those committed to lowering their cholesterol levels, the study does suggest that dietary advice might outdo a doctor’s orders.
It would take a “great burden off the medical system if people were equipped to look after themselves,” Jenkins said. “Doctors can do a better job if there are fewer patients to see.”
Katie.Drummond@thedaily.com
A few simple dietary changes were effective at reducing cholesterol levels among participants in a Canadian study published in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association.
More specifically, four types of food were recommended: soy proteins; plant sterols, or oils, such as margarine; nuts; and viscous fibers, including oat bran and barley. The foods reduced levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol so much that the dietary tweaks could replace statin drugs for some patients.
“We’re seeing more and more people who want to take their health into their own hands,” said Dr. David Jenkins, the study’s lead author and director of the University of Toronto’s Risk Factor Modification Center.
The research could allow millions of Americans to do just that. Statins to lower cholesterol levels are the country’s most commonly-prescribed medication, and an estimated 25 percent of those older than 45 take the drugs.
Researchers recruited 351 Canadian adults, all of whom had high cholesterol, and divided them into three groups.
One group was told to eat a healthy diet low in saturated fat. The two other groups received counseling from dietitians and were advised to consume more foods like soy milk, nuts, oats and beans.
All the diets were vegetarian, and consumed for six months.
At the end of the study, the most successful group were those who received the most nutrition counseling — around once a month — and been prescribed a diet heavy on those four key food items. Participants who’d adhered most strictly to the diet experienced the biggest declines in cholesterol.
Their LDL levels plummeted by 26 milligrams per deciliter. Those on a diet low in saturated fat — which is often advised for people with high cholesterol — saw their LDL cholesterol drop only 8 milligrams per deciliter. An LDL cholesterol level above 160 mg/dL is considered “high” by the American Heart Association, making it a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
While the research offers a promising, medication-free approach, positive results don’t come without a struggle: Study leaders reported that participants often found it difficult to stick with their assigned diet, and nearly 100 subjects dropped out of the study entirely.
But for those committed to lowering their cholesterol levels, the study does suggest that dietary advice might outdo a doctor’s orders.
It would take a “great burden off the medical system if people were equipped to look after themselves,” Jenkins said. “Doctors can do a better job if there are fewer patients to see.”
Katie.Drummond@thedaily.com
