Long-term effect of a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet on plasma lipids of patients affected by familial endogenous hypertriglyceridemia.

We evaluated the effect of a low-fat, high carbohydrate (LFHC) diet on plasma lipids in 10 patients affected by familial endogenous hypertriglyceridemia. All the patients studied underwent a base-line period of 4 wk, a 12-wk intervention period, and an 8-wk switch-back period. During the control periods patients consumed approximately 45% of energy as fat and approximately 40% as carbohydrate. During the intervention period they consumed an isocaloric diet containing approximately 25% of energy as fat and approximately 60% as carbohydrate. Total plasma triglyceride and cholesterol levels decreased significantly after 45 and 90 d of treatment (p less than 0.01). The reduction of plasma cholesterol was associated mostly with the decrease in VLDL cholesterol (p less than 0.01) while LDL cholesterol increased at days 45 and 90 of the LFHC diet (p less than 0.01). Finally, we observed a significant increase in HDL cholesterol both at days 45 and 90 of the LFHC diet (p less than 0.01). The LFHC diet we used may be an useful tool in the management of hypertriglyceridemia.