title: Improvements in hostility and depression in relation to dietary change and cholesterol lowering. The Family Heart Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe changes in negative emotions among participants of a cholesterol-lowering study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort study. Quantitative evaluation of changes in negative emotions in relation to diet and plasma cholesterol levels before and after a 5-year dietary intervention program aimed at reducing plasma cholesterol levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community-dwelling families of the Family Heart Study, Portland, Oregon.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred forty-nine men and 156 women from 233 families (mean age, 37.7 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  Changes in negative emotions including depression and aggressive hostility as measured by the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (SCL-90).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Improvement in overall emotional state was noted for the entire sample. Those who consumed a low-fat, high complex-carbohydrate diet at the end of the study showed significantly greater improvements in depression (P = 0.044; difference in improvement, 2.9 points) and aggressive hostility (P = 0.035; difference in improvement, 3.3 points) as well as a reduction in their plasma cholesterol levels (P = 0.024; difference in improvement, 2.7%) compared with those who ate a high-fat "American diet."
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participation in a cholesterol-lowering program may not be associated with a worsening in emotional state. To the contrary, improvements in diet appear to be associated with reductions in depression and aggressive hostility as well as with lowered plasma cholesterol levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, State University of New York, Stony Brook 11794-2500.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Weidner
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Connor
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Hollis
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Connor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy*; D005260:Female; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary