EFFECTIVENESS OF DIETETIC COUNSELING IN L OWERING PLASMA-CHOLESTEROL OF CHILDREN AFFECTED BY HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA

We assessed the effectiveness of the dietetic counselling provided by a paediatrician in order to obtain a reduction in plasma cholesterol l evels of children affected by hypercholesterolemia (HC). Twenty one ch ildren were enrolled into the study on the basis of plasma cholesterol levels exceeding 180 mg/dl. After their parents had been? adequately instructed by the paediatrician the children were invited to follow so me simple dietetic advice. This advice, focusing primarily on the qual ity of the ingested foods, was based on the recommendations of the Ita lian Society of Paediatrics. Weight, height, blood pressure, total pla sma cholesterol (C) and triglycerides as well their fraction bounded t o VLDL, LDL and HDL, were measured al the rime of the diagnosis and 3 to 6 and 6 to 12 months after dietetic counselling had been provided P lasma cholesterol levels were significantly reduced at 6-12 months wit h respect to their baseline values (205.0 +/- 49.0 vs 240.0 +/- 48.1, p < .05). This reduction appeared to be due to a decrease in LDL-C (13 9.0 +/- 44.4 vs 158.4 +/- 42.0, p < .05), VLDL-C (17.6 +/- 7.3 vs 23.8 +/- 10.0, p < .05) and HDL-C (48.5 +/- 7.9 vs 58.6 +/- 9.7, p < .05) levels. However, the latter were still within the recommended values. According to these preliminary results, it appears that the dietetic c ounselling provided by a well trained paediatrician may represent a si mple and feasible way to achieve a reduction of plasma cholesterol lev els in children affected by HC.