@article{KoebnickPlankHabibiWirsametal.2004,
  author    = {Koebnick, Corinna and Plank-Habibi, S. and Wirsam, B. and Gruendel, Sindy and Hahn, A. and Meyer-Kleine, C. and Leitzmann, C. and Zunft, Hans-Joachim Franz},
  title     = {Double-blind, randomized feedback control fails to improve the hypocholesterolemic effect of a plant-based low- fat diet in patients with moderately elevated total cholesterol levels},
  year      = {2004},
  abstract  = {Objective: To determine whether the cholesterol-lowering effect of a plant-based low-fat diet can be improved by a flexible control design that controls the extent of fat reduction based on the individual response of blood cholesterol. Design: Randomized, double-blind intervention study. Setting: A hotel in Prerow, Germany. Subjects: A total of 32 participants ( 21 female and 11 male participants) with total cholesterol level >5.7 mmol/l. Intervention: The control group consumed a plant-based low-fat diet with constantly 20\% of energy as fat; the intervention group received a diet with either 20 or 15\% of energy as fat, depending on the serum cholesterol response of the preceding week. A flexible control design based on the individual cholesterol response during a run-in period of 1 week was used within a low-fat intervention. Results: During the run-in period, the consumption of a plant-based low-fat diet led to a reduction in total cholesterol by 18 +/- 6 mmol/l ( P<0.001), in LDL cholesterol by 19 +/- 9 mmol/l ( P<0.001) and triglycerides by 13 +/- 3 mmol/l ( P<0.001). During the feedback control period, an additional reduction in total cholesterol by 13 +/- 8 ( P<0.001) and in LDL cholesterol by 17 +/- 11 (P<0.001) was observed compared to 15715 and 7718 in the control group. The effect of an additional feedback control was only marginal and not statistically significant compared to the effect of the low-fat diet alone. Conclusions: On a level of fat intake already reduced to 20\% of energy, the use of a feedback control to adapt the fat content of the diet depending on the individual serum cholesterol response was not more effective in reducing blood cholesterol levels than a plant-based low-fat diet alone. Sponsorship: Institute of Micro-Ecology, Herborn; the Stoll VITA Foundation, Waldshut; ALBAT+WIRSAM Software, Linden; Reformhaus Technical College, Oberstedten; Kolln Flocken Werke, Elmshorn, all in Germany},
  language  = {en}
}