Independence of serum lipid levels and dietary habits. The Tecumseh study.

Serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels were correlated with dietary habits of 4,057 adult participants in a prospective epidemiologic survey of cardiovascular disease in Tecumseh, Mich. Frequency of consumption of 110 different food items was determined for each participant and average weekly consumption rates of foods high in fat, sugar, starch, and alcohol content were calculated. Frequency of consumption of these nutrients was then correlated with serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels of individual subjects. Serum cholesterol and triglyceride values were not positively correlated with selection of dietary constituents. Positive correlations between serum lipid levels and adiposity were statistically significant. These findings suggest that serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels among Americans are more dependent on degree of adiposity than on frequency of consumption of fat, sugar, starch, or alcohol.