Giessen Wholesome Nutrition Study: relation between a health-conscious diet and blood lipids

Objective: To study in humans the relationship between a diet consistent wi th most of the current recommendations for the prevention of nutrition-rela ted diseases (Wholesome Nutrition) and the blood lipid profile (total chole sterol, LDL-, HDL-cholesterol, LDL/HDL-ratio, triglycerides). Design: Cross-sectional study with two diet groups. Setting: Former West Germany. Subjects: Healthy women (n = 243, aged 25 - 65 y) adhering to Wholesome Nut rition for at least 5 y (subdivided into 111 ovo-lacto vegetarians and 132 low-meat eaters) and an according control group of 175 women eating an aver age German mixed diet. They were all recruited through an advertisement cam paign and selected on the basis of their food consumption. Results: Considering potential confounders, the Wholesome Nutrition subgrou ps had higher HDL-cholesterol levels than the control group. No differences were observed for total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. For LDL/HDL-ratio and triglycerides the effect of diet was dependent on interaction terms. W ith increasing risk factors (age or body mass index (BMI)) the Wholesome Nu trition subgroups showed more favourable blood lipids. Conclusions: Women eating a preventive diet on a long-term basis exhibit mo re favourable blood lipid profiles than women consuming an average mixed di et. This is particularly obvious for HDL-cholesterol in the presence of cer tain risk factors and when an ovo-lacto vegetarian version is practised.