Low-fat, high-fiber diet favorably affects several independent risk markers of ischemic heart disease: observations on blood lipids, coagulation, and fibrinolysis from a trial of middle-aged Danes.
We served a low-fat (28% of energy), high-fiber (3.3 g/MJ) diet according to Nordic nutrition recommendations (Rec diet), and a high-fat diet (39% of energy) corresponding to the average Danish diet (Dane diet) for periods of 2 wk in a randomized crossover study of 21 healthy middle-aged individuals. The Rec diet resulted in lower serum concentrations of low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (medians: 2.77 vs 3.04 mmol/L, P < 0.001) and high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (1.08 vs 1.24 mmol/L, P < 0.001), and higher fasting triglycerides (1.11 vs 0.86 mmol/L, P = 0.04) than did the Dane diet. Furthermore, the Rec diet lowered plasma factor VII coagulant activity (FVIIc) (88% vs 96%, P = 0.002) and raised plasma fibrinolytic activity. Our observations indicate that a low-fat, high-fiber diet may not only reduce the atherogenic but also the thrombogenic tendency of an individual compared with a diet corresponding to the average Danish diet.
Marckmann
P
P
Research Department of Human Nutrition, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Sandström
B
B
Jespersen
J
J
D001777:Blood Coagulation; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005342:Fibrinolysis; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*
D004041:Dietary Fats; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D008055:Lipids