title: Effect of dietary fat reduction and increased aerobic exercise on cardiovascular risk factors.
abstract: 1. The combined effect of dietary fat reduction and increased aerobic exercise on coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors was investigated in healthy, normolipidaemic, normotensive, sedentary individuals. 2. After a baseline period of 2 weeks, 21 subjects were randomly allocated to one of two intervention groups (low fat exercise (LFEX) or low fat control (LFC)) for 8 weeks. Both groups were counselled to reduce their dietary fat intake to 20-25% energy from fat. The LFEX group was also required to commence an aerobic exercise programme (4 x 45 min per week). 3. In both groups, the falls in total cholesterol seen at week 4 were not maintained at the end of the study; however, the LFEX group maintained a fall in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) of 0.21 +/- 0.11 mmol/L. At the end of the study, the LFC group experienced a fall in high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol of 0.16 +/- 0.05 mmol/L, due to a 0.19 +/- 0.07 mmol/L fall in the HDL2 subfraction. The LFEX group experienced no change in HDL (-0.09 +/- 0.06 mmol/L) or HDL2 (-0.09 +/- 0.05 mmol/L). 4. At the end of the study the LFEX and LFC groups experienced a 7 +/- 3 and 5 +/- 1 mmHg fall in systolic blood pressure, respectively, while the LFEX group also observed a 4 +/- 2 mmHg fall in diastolic blood pressure. 5. The benefits of a low-fat diet combined with aerobic exercise include a reduction in LDL and blood pressure, while maintaining HDL through the HDL2 subfraction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Nolte
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Nowson
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Dyke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001835:Body Weight; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D002784:Cholesterol