NONHYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIC EFFECTS OF A PALM OIL DIET IN CHINESE ADULTS

The effects on serum lipids of palm oil (PA) used in Chinese diets wer e compared with those of soybean oil (SO), peanut oil (PE) and lard (L A) in normocholesterolemic subjects and with that of PE in hypercholes terolemic subjects. Normocholesterolemic subjects [120 men, 18-25 y, t otal cholesterol (TC) 2.8-5.0 mmol/L] were assigned to four groups to consume test diets for six consecutive weeks after a run-in period of 3 wk. About 30% of dietary energy was derived from fat, 75-80% of whic h came from test oils. In comparison with the entry level, the average serum TC and LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) were 6.7 and 13.1% lower, respec tively; in the PA group and 22.8 and 30.7% higher, respectively, (P < 0.05) in the LA group. At the end of the test, serum TC, LDL-C and the ratio of TC/HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) in the PA group were significantl y lower than those of the LA group. Hypercholesterolemic subjects (31 men, 20 women, 32-68 y, TC 5.5-7.0 mmol/L) were divided into two group s. For 6 wk, one group (15 men, 10 women) consumed the PA diet; anothe r group (16 men, 9 women) consumed the PE diet. After a 3-wk interval, the two groups interchanged diets for another 6 wk. The test diets ag ain contained about 30% energy from fat, 60-65% of which came from tes t oils. Compared with entry values, the PA diet caused significant red uctions in serum TC, LDL-C and TC/HDL-C during the first 6 wk and also a significant reduction in TC/HDL-C during the second 6 wk, The PE di et had no significant influence on serum lipids in either experimental period.