Variation in plasma cholesterol response to dietary change.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized crossover trial
What was done
Participants completed a randomized double dietary crossover trial comparing a diet high in saturated fat with a diet high in polyunsaturated fat. Each intervention period lasted four weeks without intervening washout periods. Plasma lipoproteins were evaluated at the end of each period. Dietary compliance was measured via three-day food records (polyunsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio) and objectively via changes in plasma triglyceride linoleate concentrations.
What was found
The abstract reports no numeric values. Investigators observed a wide range of individual total cholesterol responses with no evidence of distinct, separate populations of hyper-responders versus minimal responders. Variation in cholesterol changes across crossovers was attributed mainly to variations in dietary compliance.
Why it matters
The findings challenge the concept of discrete biological hyper- and hypo-responder phenotypes for dietary fat, indicating that apparent differences in cholesterol response in free-living populations are continuous and driven largely by adherence to dietary advice.
Limits
The abstract does not disclose the sample size, participant demographics, or exact numerical results with confidence intervals. The absence of washout periods between four-week diet blocks introduces a risk of carryover effects.
Cited by
- contradicts One-third of people are hyper-responders to saturated fat, causing their LDL levels to spike significantly and potentially leading to weight gain.