Effects of Diet and Exercise in Men and Postmenopausal Women with Low Levels of HDL Cholesterol and High Levels of LDL Cholesterol

Background Guidelines established by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) promote exercise and weight loss for the treatment of abnormal lipoprotein levels. Little is known, however, about the effects of exercise or the NCEP diet, which is moderately low in fat and cholesterol, in persons with lipoprotein levels that place them at high risk for coronary heart disease. Methods We studied plasma lipoprotein levels in 180 postmenopausal women, 45 through 64 years of age, and 197 men, 30 through 64 years of age, who had low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels (≤59 mg per deciliter in women and ≤44 mg per deciliter in men) and moderately elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (>125 mg per deciliter but 125 mg per deciliter but <190 mg per deciliter in men). The subjects were randomly assigned to aerobic exercise, the NCEP Step 2 diet, or diet plus exercise, or to a control group, which received no intervention. Results Dietary...