A comparative study of three different test diets in change in plasma total cholesterol in young healthy individuals

The effect of single dose of three different types of high cholesterol diet on plasma total cholesterol (PTC) in 24 young healthy subjects (male:female = 1:1) aged 15 to 35 years was studied. One group (n1 = 8) was given a butter and milk diet (300 mg cholesterol and 95 g fat). In the first postprandial hour PTC level increased significantly in all but one subject (mean +/- S.D., 4.96 +/- 0.57 m mol/l to 5.61 +/- 0.60 m mol/l, P < 0.005). Second group (n2 = 8) was given a single egg diet (300 mg cholesterol and 6 g fat). In the first hour the PTC level decreased significantly in all but 2 subjects (4.82 +/- 0.58 m mol/l to 4.42 +/- 0.63 m mol/l, P < 0.02). Third group subjects (n2(3) = 8) were given a test diet consisting of crystalline cholesterol with 200 ml milk (1020 mg cholesterol and 14 g fat). The PTC level increased insignificantly. In the first hour in all but 2 subjects (4.94 +/- 0.43 m mol/l to 5.35 +/- 0.88 m mol/l, P > 0.10). In the third postprandial hour the PTC values in all the 3 groups showed a tendency to return to fasting values. Therefore, we conclude that the effect of dietary cholesterol on PTC depends not only on the amount of cholesterol content in the diet, but on the type of diet (cholesterol vehicle) as such and probably also on the fat content of the diet.