Another news report on WUSTL study

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

Another news report on WUSTL study is below for your possible

interest.

News and notices

European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation

2004, 11:260–263

Newsworthy

Atherosclerosis can be prevented ... but at a price ...

Apparently, one reason for the high prevalence of athero-sclerosis

in large parts of the world may simply be that we

eat too much. A team of US researchers from the

Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis,

Missouri, evaluated the effect of caloric restriction on risk

factors for atherosclerosis in a nonrandomized sample of 18

individuals, aged 32 to 85 years, who had restricted their

calorie intake for an average of 6 (range 3 to 15) years and 18

age-matched healthy individuals on typical American diets.

Individuals in the calorie restricted group, three of whom

were women, consumed between 10% and 25% fewer

calories than the average American by eating small amounts

of nutrient-dense foods, while still maintaining proper

nutrition. The group who ate less were leaner than the

comparison group (body mass index, 19.6 vs. 25.9 kg/m2;

percent body fat, 9% vs. 24%). Serum total cholesterol, low-density

lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glu-cose,

fasting insulin, CRP, and systolic and diastolic blood

pressure were all markedly lower, whereas HDL-C was

higher, with calorie restriction, compared with the American

diet group. Total cholesterol and LDL-C levels in the

calorie-restricted group were comparable to the lowest 10%

of the population in their respective age groups, while

HDL-C levels were in the 85th to 90th percentile for

middle-aged men. Triglyceride levels were similar to the 5th

percentile values for 20 year olds, despite all participants

being older than this. Blood pressure averaged at 100/

60 mmHg, compared with 130/80 mmHg in the normal diet

group. Before they went on this diet, medical records

indicated that the group had serum lipid and blood pressure

levels in the usual range for individuals on typical American

diets, and similar to those of the comparison group. Carotid

intima-media thickness was 40% less in the calorie-restricted

group than in the comparison group (0.5 vs.

0.8 mm, P=0.0001), and none of the individuals on calorie

restriction had evidence of atherosclerotic plaque. So it can

be done–but at a pricey. Caveats include that this was, after

all, a very small study, and that it was nonrandomized, with

the low-calorie group probably being different from other

people in other respects too.

Fontana L, et al.

Long-term calorie restriction is highly

effective in reducing the risk for atherosclerosis in

humans.

Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2004 Apr 19 [Epub ahead of print].

Cheers, Alan Pater