INDIVIDUALIZED DIETARY COUNSELING OF FAMILIES - SERUM-CHOLESTEROL CONCENTRATION AND GROWTH OF CHILDREN AGED 7-13 MONTHS

We studied the effect of a change in dietary fat composition on serum total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and growth in healthy i nfants between 7 and 13 months of age. The intervention families (n = 22) received individualized dietary counselling when the infant was 7, 8 and 10 months of age. The intervention diet was designed to have a fat content of 35-45 E% of total energy intake in infants aged 7-12 mo nths and 30-35 E% after 12 months of age. The ratio of saturated to mo nounsaturated to polyunsaturated fatty acids was designed to be 1:1:1. The children in the control group (n = 23) were given no specific adv ice on the fat composition of the diet. Intake of polyunsaturated fatt y acids was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the controls (5.9 E% versus 3.6 E%, p < 0.05). Serum total cholesterol co ncentration decreased significantly in the intervention group during t he study from 4.16 +/- 0.41 mmol/l to 3.86 +/- 0,48 mmol/l (p < 0.05). The infants of both groups grew like average Finnish children. Modifi cation of dietary fat composition, as widely recommended for adults an d older children to prevent coronary heart disease, decreases choleste rol values in infants without affecting their normal growth.