[Behavior of serum lipid parameters--results of a longitudinal gerontologic study]

Within the Leipzig longitudinal study from 1968 to 1978 in 158 test persons (46 males, 112 females) cholesterol and the total fatty acid spectre were gas-chromatographically determined in regular intervals. Serum cholesterol as well as proportions of linoleic acid increased significantly. By the significant decrease of the palmitic acid the percentages of the saturated fatty acids altogether decreased despite increase of stearic acid. In these cases the differences between males and females as well as between persons with normal weight and overweight more and more evened up. Ascertained correlations existed between reduction of the relative weight and decrease or more insignificant increase of cholesterol on the one hand and increase of linoleic acid on the other. The latter phenomenon is above all to be traced back to the fat-reduced diet and to the diet rich in polyene fatty acids which was more and more applied mainly by older test persons in the course of the longitudinal study, which thus may lead to antiatherogenic constellations of serum fatty acids.