[Effect of nonpharmacologic intervention on lowering plasma cholesterol levels]

Our study focused on the effect of non-pharmacological intervention based on the modification of dietary habits and increasing physical activity on the level of total plasma cholesterol.

Intervented sample was created by 279 highly motivated healthy adults from Brno (168 women and 111 men) of average age 43.5 +/- 10.3 years and average level of total plasma cholesterol 6.1 +/- 0.75 mmol/l and HDL-cholesterol 1.04 +/- 0.14 mmol/l. After medical and life-style history assessment, followed by clinical and biochemical checking and evaluation the risk from the life-style and biochemical and clinical parameters, the participants were individually informed about recommendations. These recommendations regarded detailed changes of dietary habits, quantified by the recommended number of servings of basic food groups and sub-groups daily and also increasing physical activity.

After 3 months the changes of biochemical parameters were evaluated. After our non-pharmacological intervention we founded significantly lower average level of total plasma cholesterol 5.36 +/- 1.24 mmol/l (p < 0.001) and higher level of HDL-cholesterol 1.16 +/- 0.14 mmol/l. The level of TG's did not change significantly neither in whole sample, nor in the sub/sample of women and men. 26% of our sample was resistant to the intervention (the difference in the total cholesterol level between 2 assessment was lower than 0.5 mmol/l). No significant difference was found between men and women regarding the reaction of plasma lipoproteins.

Our results justify the adequacy and appropriety of primary preventive advising focusing on decrease of the risk of premature death using non-pharmacological intervention in highly motivated people with good compliance and sufficient responsibility for their personal health.