Positive Health Online

Abstract

JEPPESEN and colleagues, Department of Medicine, Stanford University of Medicine, CA USA evaluated the effects of variations in dietary carbohydrate and fat upon a number of parameters of carbohydrate and lipoprotein metabolism in healthy postmenopausal women. @m:METHODS: Two isoenergetic diets, consisting of 15% protein, 60% carbohydrate and 25% fat (60% carbohydrate diet) or 15% protein, 40% carbohydrate and 45% fat (40% carbohydrate diet), were randomly assigned to 10 healthy postmenopausal women. @r: Compared to the women on the 40% carbohydrate diet, fasting plasma triacylglycerol, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), triacylglycerol and VLDL cholesterol concentrations were higher and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was lower in the women on the 60% carbohydrate diet. Plasma insulin and triacylglycerol concentrations were also higher with the 60% carbohydrate diet. When vitamin A was administered with the noon meal, concentrations of retinyl palmitate were also higher in the women consuming the 60% carbohydrate diet. Resistance to insulin-mediated glucose disposal correlated with the incremental increases following a meal in concentrations of plasma glucose, insulin, triacylglycerol and retinyl palmitate and with the Sf >400 triacylglycerol, Sf 20-400 triacylglycerol and Sf>400 retinyl palmitate lipoprotein fractions. @c: As all of these changes would increase the risk of ischaemic heart disease in postmenopausal women, it may be reasonable to question the wisdom of recommending that postmenopausal women consume a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet.

Background

Methodology

Results

Conclusion

References

Jeppesen J et al. Effects of low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets on risk factors for ischaemic heart disease in postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr 65 (4): 1027-33. Apr 1997. @i:22