NUTRITIONAL CORRELATES OF HIGH-DENSITY-LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL AMONG ADULTS IN NORTHWEST SPAIN - RESULTS FROM THE BRIGANTIUM STUDY

Nutrient intakes were examined in relation to concentration of serum h igh-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol among adults (n = 84) residi ng in northwest Spain. Dietary habits were assessed by the diet-histor y method (a 24-h recall and a food-frequency questionnaire with 190 fo od items). After adjustment for nondietary predictors of HDL cholester ol, dietary fiber consumption was strongly associated with higher leve ls of HDL cholesterol. The regression coefficient showed that an incre ase in fiber consumption of 2 g/day was associated with 12.3 mg/dl inc rease in HDL cholesterol. The findings in our small study are consiste nt with those of experimental studies of fiber effects on HDL choleste rol and with the observation that fiber is inversely associated with r isk for coronary heart disease. Because the smoking history was not av ailable for any of the subjects, the potential effect of smoking on th e fiber-HDL cholesterol relation needs to be considered in future inve stigations. Whether this strong fiber-HDL cholesterol association is u nique to the diet or population of northwest Spain is unclear.