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  • Original Article
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Intake occasion affects the serum cholesterol lowering of a plant sterol-enriched single-dose yoghurt drink in mildly hypercholesterolaemic subjects

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 60, pages 325–333 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To determine the impact of intake occasion (with or without a meal), and product fat level on the cholesterol-lowering efficacy of a plant sterol (PS)-enriched (3 g/day) single-dose yoghurt drink.

Design:

Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel study with a 4 weeks run-in and 4 weeks intervention period.

Setting:

Subjects recruited from the general community.

Subjects:

A total of 184 moderate hypercholesterolaemic subjects (81 men and 103 women) (age 57±2 years) completed the study.

Interventions:

The study product was a 100-g single-dose yoghurt drink with or without added PS in the form of PS esters. The subjects were randomly assigned to one of five 4-week treatments: (i) drink A (0.1% dairy fat, 2.2% total fat) with a meal, (ii) drink A without a meal, (iii) drink B (1.5% dairy fat, 3.3% total fat) with a meal, (iv) drink B without a meal and (v) placebo drink with a meal.

Results:

LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) was significantly lowered when the single-dose drink was taken with a meal independent of its fat content (drink A: −9.5% (P<0.001, 95% CI: −13.8 to −5.2); drink B: −9.3% (P<0.001, 95% CI: −13.7 to −4.9)) as compared to placebo. When consumed without a meal, LDL-C was also significantly decreased (drink A: −5.1% (P<0.05, 95% CI: −9.4 to −0.8); drink B: −6.9% (P<0.01, 95% CI: −11.3 to −2.5) as compared to placebo, however the effect was significantly smaller as compared to the intake with a meal.

Conclusion:

These results indicate that a PS-ester-enriched single-dose yoghurt drink effectively reduces LDL-C irrespective of the fat content of the product. A substantially larger decrease in serum cholesterol concentration was achieved when the single-dose drink was consumed with a meal emphasizing the importance of the intake occasion for optimal cholesterol-lowering efficacy.

Sponsorship:

Unilever Research and Development, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands.

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Acknowledgements

We thank LA Akerboom-Voogd, M Jäkel, A Porcu, PC Remmerswaal, VIO Ringelberg-van Eerdenburg, M Slettenaar, M Slotboom, C Toutenburg and C van Tuijl for assistance in recruiting study participants and conducting the study, for dietetic advice and for serum lipid analyses, RMM Diks for scientific advice in designing the study, DC Baris, HM Steenbergen and C Zorn for analyses of the study products, I van Heetvelde for ensuring production and delivery of the study products and JJ Schilt and A van Unnik for data management. Lastly, we thank all subjects, who participated in the study for their cooperation and interest.

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Author notes

  1. E A Trautwein: Presented in parts at the Experimental Biology Meeting 2005, San Diego, CA, USA (FASEB J 2005; 19 (4): A416 #268.7).

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unilever Food and Health Research Institute, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands

    A M E Doornbos, E M Meynen, G S M J E Duchateau, H C M van der Knaap & E A Trautwein

Authors
  1. A M E Doornbos
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  2. E M Meynen
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  3. G S M J E Duchateau
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  4. H C M van der Knaap
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  5. E A Trautwein
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Correspondence to E A Trautwein.

Additional information

Guarantor: EA Trautwein.

Contributors: AMED and EMM planned the study and were responsible for study execution and analyses. HCMvdK performed the statistical analysis. EAT and GSMJED contributed to study concept and design. All authors contributed to data interpretation and manuscript writing. All authors are employed by Unilever R&D, The Netherlands.

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Doornbos, A., Meynen, E., Duchateau, G. et al. Intake occasion affects the serum cholesterol lowering of a plant sterol-enriched single-dose yoghurt drink in mildly hypercholesterolaemic subjects. Eur J Clin Nutr 60, 325–333 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602318

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