Long-term effects of a reduced fat diet intervention on cardiovascular disease risk factors in individuals with glucose intolerance

The long-term effects on cardiovascular disease risk factors of a reduced fat (RF), ad libitum diet were compared with usual diet (control, CD) in glucose intolerance individuals. Participants were 136 adults aged greater than or equal to 40 years with 'glucose intolerance' (2 h blood glucose 7-11.0 mmol/l) detected at a Diabetes Survey who completed at 1 year intervention study of reduced fat, ad libitum diet versus usual diet. They were re-assessed at 2, 3 and 5 years. Main outcome measures were blood pressure, serum concentrations of total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol:HDL ratio, triglycerides and body weight. The reduced fat diet lowered total cholesterol (P < 0.01), LDL cholesterol (P less than or equal to 0.05), total cholesterol: HDL ratio (P less than or equal to 0.05), body weight (P < 0.01) and systolic blood pressure (P less than or equal to 0.05) initially and diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.01) long-term. No significant changes occurred in HDL cholesterol or triglycerides. In the more compliant 50% of the intervention group, systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels and body weight were lower at 1, 2 and 3 years (P < 0.05). It was concluded that a reduced fat ad libitum diet has short-term benefits for cholesterol, body weight and systolic blood pressure and long-term benefits for diastolic blood pressure without significantly effecting HDL cholesterol and triglycerides despite participants regaining their lost weight. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.