Diet is the fundamental treatment for most lipid disorders.

A high fiber, low fat diet usually:
  •  decreases serum cholesterol by 10-20%
  •  decreases serum triglycerides by 15-80%
  •  lowers risk for coronary heart disease by 20-40%
  •  most effective in combating hypertriglceridemia

Furthermore, high fiber diets combat other risk factors by:
  •  decreasing insulin resistance
  •  lowering blood glucose
  •  lowering blood pressure
  •  decreasing blood clotting factors
  •  assisting in weight maintenance

Hypocholesterolemic effects of dietary fiber
  •  Oat bran decreases serum cholesterol by 10-15%
  •  Bean intake decreases serum cholesterol by 10%
  •  Psyllium intake decreases serum cholesterol by 10%

Long-term high fiber diets:
  •  Decrease serum cholesterol by 20%
  •  Decrease serum LDL-cholesterol by25%
  •  Increase serum HDL-cholesterol by 10%
  •  Lower elevated triglycerides by 30-50%

Serum triglycerides (TG) drop on high fiber diets:
  •  Baseline TG 100-199 mg/dl: decrease of 30%
  •  Baseline TG 200-299 mg/dl: decrease of 0-5%
  •  Baseline TG 300-999 mg/dl: decrease of 40-50%
  •  Baseline TG >1000 mg/dl: decrease of 80-90%

Effects of HDL cholesterol on high fiber diets:
  •  Initially, HDL-cholesterol decreases
  •  Long-term, HDL-cholesterol increases 10%

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