Test the hypothesis that the low-fiber diet has an effect on cholesterol levels as compared with baseline
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Nutrition, Cardiovascular Disease
Previous studies have shown that supplementing the diet with oat bran may lower serum-cholesterol levels. However, it is not known whether the cholesterol is reduced by a direct effect of oat bran or by replacing fatty foods in the diet. To address this question, a study was performed to compare the effect of dietary supplementation with high-fiber oat bran (87 g/day) to dietary supplementation with a low-fiber refined wheat product on the serum cholesterol of 20 healthy participants ages 2349 years [3]. Each subject had a cholesterol level measured at baseline and then was randomly assigned to receive either a high-fiber or a low-fiber diet for 6 weeks. A 2-week period followed during which no supplements were taken. Participants then took the alternate supplement for a 6-week period. The results are shown in Table 7.7.
Table 7.7: Serum-cholesterol levels before and during high-fiber and low-fiber supplemention
Plusminus (±) values are mean ± sd. Values in parentheses are 95% confidence limits.
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