Consumption of a controlled low-fat diet containing olestra for 9 months improves health risk factors in conjunction with weight loss in obese men: the Ole' Study.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effects of a standard American diet, a traditional low-fat diet, and a low-fat diet containing the fat substitute olestra on risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.


METHODS
A 9-month, double-blind, randomized, parallel-arm, feeding study comparing three diets: (1). control (33% fat), (2). fat-reduced (FR; 25% fat), and (3). fat-substituted (FS) where olestra replaced 1/3 of dietary fat (33% lipid and 25% digestible fat). Subjects were allowed to adjust their total energy intake as desired, allowing weight to fluctuate.


METHODS
A total of 37 healthy, obese men (age 36.7+/-1.3 y; body mass index 30.8+/-0.4 kg/m(2)).


METHODS
Body weight and composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, blood pressure, serum lipids, lipoproteins, hemostatic factors, glucose, insulin, and leptin at baseline and every 3 months.


RESULTS
The FS group lost 6.27 kg of body weight by 9 months vs 4.0 kg in the control and 1.79 kg in the FR groups. There was a significant diet main effect on cholesterol (P=0.002), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P=0.003), and triglycerides (P=0.01), all of which decreased in the FS group but not the other groups by 9 months. Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) increased in the FR and control groups but was unchanged in the FS group (diet main effect P=0.04). High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol increased in all groups over 9 months (time main effect P=0.0001). Time main effects were also observed for cholesterol, ApoA1, ApoB, Factor VII, diastolic blood pressure, and glucose. After adjustment for % fat loss at 9 months, the effects of diet on change in risk factors remained significant only for triglycerides.


CONCLUSIONS
Consumption of a low-fat diet containing olestra for 9 months produced significant improvement in cardiovascular risk factors, an effect largely explained by weight loss. Long-term low-fat diet consumption with or without olestra does not decrease HDL cholesterol.
D000328:Adult; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted / Q000379:methods*; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D019358:Fat Substitutes / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013395:Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects
D001053:Apolipoproteins; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D019358:Fat Substitutes; D005227:Fatty Acids; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D014280:Triglycerides; D013395:Sucrose; C013692:sucrose polyester; D002784:Cholesterol