COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS ON THE DIURNAL BLOOD-PRESSURE, GLUCOSE, ANDLIPID-LEVELS OF A DIET RICH IN MONOUNSATURATED FATTY-ACIDS WITH A DIET RICH IN POLYUNSATURATED FATTY-ACIDS IN TYPE-2 DIABETIC SUBJECTS

The influence on blood pressure, glucose metabolism, and lipid levels of an exchange of polyunsaturated fatty acids with monounsaturated fat ty acids in the diet was compared in 16 Type 2 diabetic outpatients. I n a cross-over study design the patients were randomly assigned to 3 w eeks treatments with a diet containing 30% energy as monounsaturated f atty acids, or an isoenergetic diet with 30% energy as polyunsaturated fatty acids. The contents of total fat, satuarated fatty acids, chole sterol, and fibre were similar in the two diets, On the last days of t he two diet periods, 24-h ambulatory blood pressure was measured and t he responses of glucose, hormones, and lipids to a carbohydrate rich t est meal were measured. As compared with the polyunsaturated fatty aci ds diet, the monounsaturated fatty acids diet reduced 24-h systolic (1 29 +/- 11 vs 124 +/- 8 mmHg (mean +/- SD), p = 0.02) and diastolic blo od pressure (76 +/- 11 vs 73 +/- 8 mmHg, p = 0.02). The two diets had similar, beneficial effects on glycaemic control, and cholesterol and lipoprotein concentrations. A diet rich in monounsaturated fatty acids has beneficial effects on the blood pressure, while similar effects o n glucose and lipid levels are observed in normotensive Type 2 diabeti c subjects.