An epidemiological and an experimental study on the effect of olive oil on total serum and HDL cholesterol in healthy volunteers.
We have studied the effects of olive oil on serum lipids in a dietary experiment with 48 healthy adult Dutch volunteers and in 76 boys 8-10 years of age from rural Crete. The dietary trial was carried out with normolipidaemic subjects, and it compared the effects of an olive-oil-rich and a carbohydrate-rich, high-fibre diet on serum lipids. Replacement of 12% of energy (en%) from saturated fatty acids by either monounsaturates or complex carbohydrates caused the same fall in serum total cholesterol of 0.45 mmol 1(-1). HDL cholesterol levels fell by 0.19 mmol 1(-1) on the carbohydrate-rich diet, but remained virtually unchanged on the olive-oil-rich diet. This was in agreement with our hypothesis that the total amount of fat in the diet is a determinant of HDL cholesterol. The diet of the Cretan boys contained 10 en% saturated fat, but 27 en% monounsaturated fat due to the liberal use of olive oil. Serum-lipid levels of the Cretan boys were not different from those of their counterparts from western European Countries. The mean body mass index of the Cretan boys was about 2 kg m-2 higher than those of boys in the other countries, which might have confounded comparisons. Whatever the explanation, the present-day lifestyle and diet in Crete do not produce a particularly favourable HDL to LDL cholesterol ratio in the blood, even though olive oil intake is high.
Mensink
R P
RP
Department of Human Nutrition, Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Katan
M B
MB
D002648:Child; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012016:Reference Values
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils; D002784:Cholesterol