Issue 140 Item 12 Exchange, Not Reduction, of Fats Improve Cholesterol Levels

It is more important to change the proportions of dietary fatty acids than to cut the percentage of total or saturated fat when trying to improve the ratio of low and high density lipoproteins. Specialists in Bekkestua, Norway and Oslo, Norway, report this finding after comparing the effects on serum lipoproteins of a high fat diet and a low fat diet, both based on coconut oil, and a diet high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Twenty five women followed each diet for three weeks, in a cross-over design study. The two high fat diets were identical except for the quality of the test fat. The low saturated fat diet was identical to the high fat diet except that half the fat was replaced by carbohydrates.

Serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and apoB concentrations did not differ between the high and low fat diet periods.

Total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and apoB were lower when women consumed the diet high in unsaturated and fats than with the other two diets.

High density lipoprotein cholesterol was 15% higher and apoA-I was 11% higher with the high fat diet than with the low fat diet. High density lipoprotein cholesterol and apoA-I were lower with the diet high in unsaturated fats than with the high fat diet, but not the low fat diet.

The ratio of low density lipoprotein cholesterol to high density lipoprotein cholesterol and the ratio between apoB and apoA-I were higher with the low fat diet than with the high fat diet.

The ratio of low density lipoprotein cholesterol to high density lipoprotein cholesterol was higher with either the low fat or the high fat diet than with the diet high in unsaturated fats. But the ratio of apoB to apoA-I was higher with the low fat diet than with the diet high in unsaturated fats.

Triacylglycerol and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol were higher with the low fat diet than with either the high fat diet or the diet high in unsaturated fats.
Journal of Nutrition 2003;133(1):78-83