LDL Reduction
The quote, “Replacing a discussion of lifestyle change with a prescription for medication is akin to advising a patient to top a hot dog with a statin” is music to a nutritionist's ears.
In reality, we all know how much effort it can take to change a person's eating behavior. Below is a chart that delineates the approximate and cumulative LDL cholesterol reduction achievable by dietary modification. Maybe we can't convince someone to change everything about their diet, but even a few changes accumulate!
| Dietary component | Dietary change | Approximate LDL Reduction |
|---|---|---|
| Major | ||
| Saturated fat | ‹ 7% of calories | 8-10 % |
| Dietary cholesterol | ‹ 200 mg per day | 3-5 % |
| Weight reduction | Lose 10 lbs | 5-8 % |
| Other LDL lowering options | ||
| Soluble fiber | 5-10 g per day | 3-5 % |
| Plant sterol / stanol esters | 2 g per day | 6-15% |
| Cumulative estimate | 20-30% | |
In a recent article, lovastatin was compared to a diet containing all the cholesterol-lowering attributes of diet. The article concluded that statin and dietary portfolio treatments were not significantly different in efficacy of lowering both LDL-C and C-reactive protein. 1
For more information on LDL reduction, try the following resources:
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute ~ Third Report of the Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III)
- Safeer RS, Ugalat PS. Cholesterol treatment guidelines update. American Family Physician. 2002;65:871-80.
References