Counseling Can Encourage Intake of Cholesterol-Lowering Foods

Certain foods have specific cholesterol-lowering properties (e.g., plant sterol-enriched margarine, viscous fiber, soy protein), but whether routine counseling protocols can be used to motivate people with hyperlipidemia to eat these foods has not been investigated. In a Canadian study, 351 adults (mean age, 56; mean weight, 76 kg; mean LDL-C, 171 mg/dL) were randomized to three dietary interventions for 6 months: active promotion of specific types and amounts of cholesterol-lowering foods (e.g., 9.8 g of viscous fiber from oats, barley, or psyllium per 1000 kcal intake) with two dietitian counseling sessions; the same intervention with seven counseling sessions; or control dietary advice that focused on the intake of whole grain cereals, f…