title: Inverse relation between dietary intake of naturally occurring plant sterols and serum cholesterol in northern Sweden.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plant sterols are bioactive compounds, found in all vegetable foods, which inhibit cholesterol absorption. Little is known about the effect of habitual natural dietary intake of plant sterols.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the relation between plant sterol density (in mg/MJ) and serum concentrations of cholesterol in men and women in northern Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  The analysis included 37 150 men and 40 502 women aged 29-61 y, all participants in the Västerbotten Intervention Program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher plant sterol density was associated with lower serum total cholesterol in both sexes and with lower LDL cholesterol in women. After adjustment for age, body mass index (in kg/m(2)), and (in women) menopausal status, men with high plant sterol density (quintile 5) had 0.15 mmol/L (2.6%) lower total serum cholesterol (P for trend = 0.001) and 0.13 mmol/L (3.1%) lower LDL cholesterol (P = 0.062) than did men with low plant sterol density (quintile 1). The corresponding figures for women were 0.20 mmol/L (3.5%) lower total serum cholesterol (P for trend < 0.001) and 0.13 mmol/L (3.2%) lower LDL cholesterol (P for trend = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study is the second epidemiologic study to show a significant inverse relation between naturally occurring dietary plant sterols and serum cholesterol. To the extent that the associations found truly mirror plant sterol intake and not merely a diet high in vegetable fat and fiber, it highlights the importance of considering the plant sterol content of foods both in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and in the dietary advice incorporated into nutritional treatment of patients with hyperlipidemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Nutrition, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden, University of Umeå, Umeå, Sweden. sofia.klingberg@nutrition.gu.se
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klingberg
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ellegård
authors.forename: Ingegerd
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hallmans
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Weinehall
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Winkvist
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D004032:Diet; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D010840:Phytosterols; D002784:Cholesterol