EFFECT OF SOY PROTEIN-DIET VERSUS STANDARD LOW-FAT, LOW-CHOLESTEROL DIET ON LIPID AND LIPOPROTEIN LEVELS IN CHILDREN WITH FAMILIAL OR POLYGENIC HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA

The effect on serum lipid and lipoprotein levels of a standard low fat , low cholesterol diet was compared with that of a soy protein-substit uted low fat, low cholesterol diet in 23 children with familial or pol ygenic hypercholesterolemia: 12 boys and 11 girls (mean age, 9.3 +/- 4 .5 years) were included in this outpatient program. Group 1 received t he soy protein diet for 8 weeks; group 2 received the low fat, low cho lesterol diet. After an interruption of 8 weeks, each group was placed on the alternate regimen. Fasting blood samples were collected at the beginning of each dietary period. During the soy protein diet, the le vels of total cholesterol decreased by 16% in group 1 and 18% in group 2, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels decreased a bout 22% in group 1 and 25% in group 2. During the standard low fat, l ow cholesterol diet, total cholesterol and LDL-C levels were reduced b y 8% and 7% in group 1 and by 12% and 13%, respectively, in group 2. T he effect on LDL-C was significantly greater (p <0.05) in the soy prot ein group than in the low fat, low cholesterol group. We conclude that a diet substituting soy protein for animal protein has a more benefic ial short-term effect on total cholesterol and LDL-C levels in childre n with hypercholesterolemia than a standard low fat diet.