title: Effect of response to a low-fat diet among adolescent males on their adult blood cholesterol levels.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While primary prevention of adult cardiovascular diseases should begin early, there are problems in identifying children at increased risk of future disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We did a follow-up study in 1991-1992 of 100 male former students at a boarding high school who had blood cholesterol measured in 1970-1971 both prior to and following a school-wide, reduced-fat dietary intervention. We compared adult cholesterol levels of the 50 subjects whose cholesterol decreased > or = 16.5% (the median decrease) following the 1970-1971 intervention (Diet-Sensitive) with the 50 whose response was < 16.5% (Non-Diet-Sensitive).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blood cholesterol of adults who were Diet-Sensitive in 1970-1971 was 4.2 mg/dl lower than their baseline values in adolescence, while adults classified as Non-Diet-Sensitive as adolescents showed a 15.9 mg/ dl increase in cholesterol over 21 years. Adjusting for baseline adolescent values, Non-Diet-Sensitive subjects were 4.8 (95% CI 1.4, 15.9) times as likely as Diet-Sensitive subjects to have adult cholesterol > or = 200 mg/ dl. Also, Diet-Sensitive adults on a low-fat diet had adult blood cholesterol levels > 20 mg/dl lower than Non-Diet-Sensitive adults on a similar diet (180.1 vs 202.1 mg/dl, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Degree of response to a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet during adolescence may identify male subjects who will have differing patterns of cholesterol change over time.
authors.affiliation: Evans Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Massachusetts 02118, USA.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Ellison
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Proctor
authors.forename: U S
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Stare
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005522:Food Services; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools
chemical_list: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary