LOWERING BLOOD LIPID LEVELS BY CHANGING FOOD PATTERNS

Abstract

It is agreed that the reduction of the incidence and severity of atherosclerosis might depend, in part, on a reduction of the amount of animal fat in the national diet. Substitutes must be found for the foods that are to be avoided. The use of vegetable oils makes it possible to provide much the same kinds of food to which people are accustomed, and foods so prepared require no individual preparation for the patient since they are suitable for the whole family. This was demonstrated first by a 21-day test in four active young physicians and later by a study, continued for 6 to 24 months, in 16 patients with atherosclerosis. The principal source of fat was a mixture of 94 % cottonseed oil, 1.5% monostearin, 1.5% distearin, and 3.0% tristearin. Data on serum cholesterol levels showed that the food pattern here described reduced the serum cholesterol levels in normal and in many hypercholesteremic people. In some it was more effective than the low-fat diet. The food pattern is sufficiently developed to suggest its use on a larger scale.