Cl. Williams et al., Plant stanol ester and bran fiber in childhood: Effects on lipids, stool weight and stool frequency in preschool children, J AM COL N, 18(6), 1999, pp. 572-581
Objectives: The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of plant
stanol esters and bran fiber on lipids, stool weight and stool frequency i
n preschool children.
Methods: The present study was a 13 week open cross-over study designed to
evaluate the effects of plant stanol eater in healthy two to five year old
preschool children. After a one week lead-in, eligible children were random
ly assigned to begin with either Diet Phase A (plant stanol ester) or Phase
B (wheat bran fiber). Each diet phase was four weeks long, followed by a t
wo-week wash-out, and then cross-over to the alternate diet. During Diet Ph
ase A children consumed three eight-gram servings of a spread, each contain
ing one gram of plant stanols, for total daily dose of three grams. During
Diet Phase B, children added five grams of dietary fiber to their diet for
the first two weeks and then ten grams for the second two weeks.
Results: Overall, for the whole study group, plant-stanol-ester spread use
yielded a decrease in total cholsterol of 19.9 mg/dL (12.4% reduction from
baseline) and a 14.6 mg/dL decrease in LDL cholesterol (15.5% reduction fro
m baseline). There were no significant changes in HDL-cholesterol or trigly
ceride levels. A predominately insoluble dietary fiber supplement derived f
rom wheat bran, as expected, yielded a small but non-significant decrease i
n total cholesterol of 6.1 mg/dL, a four percent reduction from baseline.
Conclusions: Results demonstrated that preschool age children could adhere
to a program requiring consumption of three daily servings of spread contai
ning plant stanol ester and that this level of consumption resulted in a si
gnificant decrease in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol after a four we
ek period. In addition, consumption of plant stanol ester was not associate
d with any short-term adverse health effects.