Chronic consumption of conventional and saturated fat reduced dairy products have differential effects on low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in adults at moderate cardiovascular disease risk
Reducing the intake of dietary saturated fatty acids (SFA) to 10 of total energy intake is a key public health strategy aimed at lowering current cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence. Consumption of dairy products (including butter) represents approximately 35 of total dietary SFA intake(1) Supplementation of the bovine diet with oleic acid rich plant oil has been reported to depress SFA and increase cis monounsaturated fatty acids levels in milk, providing a strategy to lower total dietary SFA intake (2) This human intervention study aimed to investigate whether consumption of SFA reduced, compared with conventional dairy products, would impact on the fasting lipid profile, glucose and insulin concentrations of adults at moderate CVD risk. Fifty four adults (mean age 53 (SD 13) years, BMI 26 (SD 3) kg/m2) completed a double blind, randomised, controlled 12 week cross over study with an 8 week washout period between treatment arms. Participants replaced habitual dairy foods/snacks with SFA reduced or conventional UHT milk, Cheddar cheese and butter (fatty acid (FA) composition of SFA reduced vs. conventional dairy products: total SFA: 7*0 g/d, C18:1cis: 3*0 g/d, C18:1trans: 2*4 g/d) achieving an isoenergetic daily dietary exchange (41 g/d total fat) At the beginning and end of each treatment period, fasting blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis. LDL C was estimated using the Friedewald formula. The homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA IR) was calculated using the glucose and insulin data.
Proceedings of the Nutrition Society