Effect of cholesterol-lowering diets on indices of depression and hostility

Increased injury deaths have been reported among treatment groups in choles terol lowering trials, leading to speculation that lipid lowering may resul t in behavioral disorders. We investigated this in 319 men enrolled in a 2- year trial of lipid lowering diets who completed measures of depression and hostility at entry and 24 months later Mean Beck Depression Inventory (BDI ) scores were lower after 24 months (3.8 versus 3.3, p < 0.05) and Symptom Checklist 90-Revised (SCL-90) depression and hostility scores were unchange d. After adjustment for potential confounding, 24-month hostility and BDI s cores were unrelated to lipid changes. A small inverse association of borde rline statistical significance (B = 0.034, p = 0.08) was noted between 24-m onth SCL-90 depression scores and lipid changes. Lipid lowering diets had n o significant adverse effect on psychological function and are consistent w ith current dietary recommendations.