Trends in Total and Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol among U.S. Adults: Contributions of Changes in Dietary Fat Intake and Use of Cholesterol-Lowering Medications

Details

• Alternative Title:
  PLoS One
• Personal Author:
  Ford, Earl S. ; Capewell, Simon
• Description:
  Objective
  
  Our aim was to examine the relative contributions of changes in dietary fat intake and use of cholesterol-lowering medications to changes in concentrations of total cholesterol among adults in the United States from 1988–1994 to 2007–2008.
  
  Method
  
  We used data from adults aged 20–74 years who participated in National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 1988–1994 to 2007–2008. The effect of change in dietary fat intake on concentrations of total cholesterol was estimated by the use of equations developed by Keys, Hegsted, and successors.
  
  Results
  
  Age-adjusted mean concentrations of total cholesterol were 5.60 mmol/L (216 mg/dl) during 1988–1994 falling to 5.09 mmol/L (197 mg/dl) in 2007–2008 (P<0.001). No significant changes in the intake of total fat, saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and dietary cholesterol were observed from 1988–1994 to 2007–2008. However, the age-adjusted use of cholesterol-lowering medications increased from 1.6% to 12.5% (P<0.001). The various equations suggested that changes in dietary fat made minimal contributions to the observed trend in mean concentrations of total cholesterol. The increased use of cholesterol-lowering medications was estimated to account for approximately 46% of the change.
  
  Discussion
  
  Mean concentrations of total cholesterol among adults in the United States have declined by ∼4% since 1988–1994. The increased use of cholesterol-lowering medications has apparently accounted for about half of this small fall. Further substantial decreases in cholesterol might be potentially achievable by implementing effective and feasible public health interventions to promote the consumption of a more healthful diet by US adults.
  
  Disclaimer
  
  The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Adult Aged Anticholesteremic Agents Cholesterol Cholesterol, LDL Dietary Fats Female Humans Male Middle Aged Young Adult

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• Source:
  PLoS One. 2013; 8(5).
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  United States
• Volume:
  8
• Issue:
  5
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:a4a36714d96f183480bf598b7f95f6246617a9459cd0acf5c1ab2f3b019921db
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/13585/cdc_13585_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 551.84 KB ]