High-fiber oat cereal compared with wheat cereal consumption favorably alters LDL-cholesterol subclass and particle numbers in middle-aged and older men

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition 2002-08, Vol.76 (2), p.351-358
• Main Authors: Davy, Brenda M, Davy, Kevin P, Ho, Richard C, Beske, Stacy D, Davrath, Linda R, Melby, Christopher L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Avena; Biological and medical sciences; blood; blood lipids; cardioprotective effect; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Diet; Dietary fiber; Dietary Fiber - administration & dosage; Dietary Fiber - pharmacology; Edible Grain; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glucose - metabolism; high density lipoprotein cholesterol; Humans; insulin resistance; Lipids; low density lipoprotein cholesterol; Male; men; Middle Aged; nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Oats; particle size; Proteins; soluble fiber; triacylglycerols; Triglycerides - blood; Triticum; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; very low density lipoprotein; wheat
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/76.2.351

Background: No studies have examined whether increased consumption of oat cereal, rich in soluble fiber, favorably alters lipoprotein particle size and number. Objective: We examined the effects of large servings of either oat or wheat cereal on plasma lipids, lipoprotein subclasses, lipoprotein particle diameters, and LDL particle number. Design: Thirty-six overweight men aged 50-75 y were randomly assigned to consume daily for 12 wk either oat or wheat cereal providing 14 g dietary fiber/d. Before and after the intervention, plasma lipid and lipoprotein subclasses were measured with proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and whole-body insulin sensitivity was estimated with the frequently sampled intravenous-glucose-tolerance test. Results: Time-by-treatment interactions (P < 0.05) for LDL cholesterol (oat: -2.5%; wheat: 8.0%), small LDL cholesterol (oat: -17.3%; wheat: 60.4%), LDL particle number (oat: -5.0%; wheat: 14.2%), and LDL:HDL cholesterol (oat: -6.3%; wheat: 14.2%) were observed. Time-by-treatment interactions were nearly significant for total cholesterol (oat: -2.5%; wheat: 6.3%; P = 0.08), triacylglycerol (oat: -6.6%; wheat: 22.0%; P = 0.07), and VLDL triacylglycerol (oat: -7.6%; wheat: 2.7%; P = 0.08). No significant time-by-treatment interactions were observed for HDL cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol subclasses, or LDL, HDL, and VLDL particle diameters. Insulin sensitivity did not change significantly with either intervention. Conclusions: The oat compared with the wheat cereal produced lower concentrations of small, dense LDL cholesterol and LDL particle number without producing adverse changes in blood triacylglycerol or HDL-cholesterol concentrations. These beneficial alterations may contribute to the cardioprotective effect of oat fiber.