Effects of improved fat content of frankfurters and pa¿te´s on lipid and lipoprotein profile of volunteers at increased cardiovascular risk: a placebo-controlled study

Abstract

Purpose To study the effect of modified frankfurters and pa¿te´s: (a) reduced-fat products (RF) (15.3 and 15.2 % fat, respectively); (b) n-3-enriched reduced-fat products (n-3 RF) (15.1 and 15.5 % fat, respectively); and (c) normal-fat products (NF) (18 and 30.8 % fat, respectively) on lipids, lipoproteins, atherogenic ratios, oxidized LDL, and blood pressure of volunteers at high CVD risk. Methods Twenty-two volunteers were enrolled in a sequential study of 3 consecutive 4-week periods separated by 4-week washout periods. Results LDL-cholesterol (p\0.01), oxidized LDL, LDL cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol (both p\0.05) were signifi cantly affected by the overall intervention. Compared to baseline, LDL-cholesterol decreased significantly (p = 0.012) during the RF period; the LDL-cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio (p = 0.08) and the diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.06) also decreased, although non-significantly, after RF consumption. LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.040) and oxidized LDL (p = 0.016) increased significantly after NF product consumption; systolic blood pressure did not show signifi cant variations after this period. No significant differences, in absolute or relative changes, were observed between RF and n-3 RF consumption for any parameter tested. However,LDL-cholesterol, oxidized LDL, and the LDL-cholesterol/ HDL-cholesterol ratio were lower (12, 15 and 10 %, respectively) after n-3 RF versus NF product consumption. Oxidized LDL was approximately 15 % lower after RF versus NF product consumption. Conclusions The regular consumption of RF meat prod ucts, enriched in n-3 fatty acids or not, positively affects the lipoprotein profile of volunteers, decreasing LDL cholesterol and oxidized LDL levels and, thus, future risk of cardiovascular accident. On comparison with the effects of NF product intake, the responses to n-3 RF and RF products differ, and while n-3 RF intake induces a reduc tion in LDL-cholesterol, oxidized LDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio, the intake of RF products modifies only the oxidized LDL level