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Nutrient quality of fat- and cholesterol-modified diets of children with hyperlipidemia
N Copperman1, J Schebendach, M R Arden
1Department of Pediatrics, Schneider Children's Hospital of Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY.
Insights
Nutrient-modified diets for children with hyperlipidemia are nutritionally adequate. These diets, featuring reduced fat and cholesterol, compare favorably to unrestricted diets, supporting their use in pediatric care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Cardiovascular Health in Children
- Dietary Interventions
Background:
- Hyperlipidemia in children necessitates dietary modifications to mitigate cardiovascular risk.
- Assessing the nutritional adequacy of therapeutic diets is crucial for long-term adherence and health outcomes.
- The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Step I Diet is a common intervention for pediatric hyperlipidemia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the nutritional completeness of low-fat, low-saturated fat, and low-cholesterol diets prescribed for children diagnosed with hyperlipidemia.
- To compare nutrient intake between children with hyperlipidemia on modified diets and healthy children on unrestricted diets.
Main Methods:
- A case-comparison study was conducted at a pediatric atherosclerosis prevention center.
- Participants included 54 children with hyperlipidemia and 44 healthy controls, matched for age and socioeconomic status.
- Nutritional intake was assessed using 3-day food records analyzed by registered dietitians, focusing on energy, vitamins, and minerals relative to Recommended Dietary Allowances.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were observed in the intake of energy, minerals, or vitamins D and E between the hyperlipidemia and control groups.
- Children with hyperlipidemia consumed significantly more vitamin A compared to controls (P < .005).
- The control group exhibited significantly higher intakes of total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol.
Conclusions:
- The NCEP Step I Diet, when implemented with individual nutrition counseling, provides adequate nutrition for children with hyperlipidemia.
- The nutrient quality of these modified diets is comparable to that of unrestricted diets consumed by healthy children.
- Pediatricians can confidently recommend the Step I Diet for managing pediatric hyperlipidemia, provided comprehensive nutritional counseling is available.
Objective:
To assess the nutritional adequacy of low-fat, low-saturated fat, low-cholesterol-modified diets of children with hyperlipidemia.
Design:
Case comparison study.
Setting:
Tertiary care ambulatory pediatric atherosclerosis prevention center.
Patients And Other Participants:
White middle-class suburban children. Subjects were 54 consecutive children with hyperlipidemia (26 boys) with a mean (+/- SD) age of 10.8 +/- 3.4 years. Controls were 44 healthy children (19 boys) aged 10.8 +/- 0.9 years recruited from a local elementary school.
Intervention:
The subjects received individual nutrition counseling on a National Cholesterol Education Program Step I Diet from a registered dietitian.
Main Outcome Measure:
The 3-day written food records were analyzed by a registered dietitian using the Minnesota Nutrient Data System. Outcome measures were intakes of energy, fat-soluble vitamins, and minerals as a percentage of the Recommended Dietary Allowance. The means between cases and controls were compared by Student's t test.
Results:
There was no significant difference in consumption of energy, minerals, or vitamins D and E between the groups. The control group's diet contained significantly greater amounts of fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. The children with hyperlipidemia consumed significantly more vitamin A (P < .005).
Conclusion:
The nutrient quality of fat- and cholesterol-modified diets of children who have received nutritional counseling compares favorably with the nutrient quality of controls on an unrestricted diet. Therefore, pediatricians can prescribe with confidence a Step I Diet for children with hyperlipidemia and adolescents when nutritional counseling is available.
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