Cholesterol absorption status and fasting plasma cholesterol are modulated by the microsomal triacylglycerol transfer protein −493 G/T polymorphism and the usual diet in women

Table 1 Characteristics of subjects enrolled at entry and after 3-month dietary intervention

Women n = 69		P value^a
Age years	53.3 ± 1.0
Menopausal status (0/1)^b	41/28
Activity (1/2/3)^c	41/7/11
Current smokers (0/1/2)^d	43/5/9
Weight (kg)
Entry	70.8 ± 1.5	<0.001
Month 3	67.7 ± 1.4	<0.001
Body mass index (kg/m²)
Entry	28.1 ± 0.6	<0.001
Month 3	26.9 ± 0.5	<0.001
Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg)
Entry	125.8 ± 2.3	ns
Month 3	124.6 ± 1.5	ns
Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg)
Entry	76.1 ± 1.2	0.069
Month 3	77.8 ± 0.9	0.069
Total cholesterol (mmol/l)
Entry	6.73 ± 0.11	0.001
Month 3	6.40 ± 0.11	0.001
LDL cholesterol (mmol/l)
Entry	4.33 ± 0.11	0.030
Month 3	4.12 ± 0.09	0.030
Triglycerides (mmol/l)
Entry	1.38 ± 0.09	0.087
Month 3	1.24 ± 0.06	0.087
Insulin (μU/ml)
Entry	10.03 ± 0.78	<0.001
Month 3	8.23 ± 0.56	<0.001
Glucose (mmol/l)
Entry	5.16 ± 0.07	0.002
Month 3	4.96 ± 0.06	0.002
Framingham score
Entry	6.3 ± 0.4	0.001
Month 3	5.6 ± 0.4	0.001

Values are mean ± SEM
^aComparison between subjects at entry (Western diet, WD) and after 3-mo intervention (low-saturated fat, low-cholesterol/Mediterranean-type diet, LFLCD) tested with Student’s t paired test
^b0: no menopausal or treated women/1: menopausal women
^c1: activity/2:retirement/3: inactivity
^d0: never smoker/1: smoker/2: former smoker

ISSN: 1865-3499