title: Comparing the benefits of diet and exercise in the treatment of dyslipidemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lifestyle changes are advocated as a first line of treatment for dyslipidemia. However, few studies have directly compared various combinations of diets and exercise.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomized controlled pilot study, we compared the standard lifestyle recommendations (NCEP step I diet with regular exercise) and more intense interventions including the NCEP step I diet with a supervised aerobic exercise program and the step II diet with and without a supervised aerobic exercise program. We measured risk factors, dietary intake, time on treadmill, and health-related quality of life at baseline and after 3 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 198 eligible subjects, 47 (24%) were willing to participate and 41 completed the study. No significant change were observed with standard lifestyle recommendations. In contrast, participants in the more intense interventions lost weight (-1.7 to -3.7 kg) and reduced their total cholesterol (-4% to -6%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-6%), and systolic blood pressure (-7.3 to -8.8 mmHg). Participants in the exercise program significantly increased their exercise capacity (1.6 to 1.9 METS). Overall, each 10% reduction in body weight was associated with a 7.6% reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Standard lifestyle recommendations had little effect on blood lipid levels but more intense lifestyle interventions may be effective at improving blood lipids, other risk factors, and quality of life.
authors.affiliation: University of Ottawa School of Nursing and Department of Epidemiology, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Lyne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lalonde
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gray-Donald
authors.forename: Ilka
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lowensteyn
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marchand
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dorais
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Michaels
authors.forename: Hilary A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Llewellyn-Thomas
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Steven A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Grover
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors