Children and young adults with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) have healthier food choices particularly with respect to dietary fat sources compared with non-FH children

Ingunn Molven; Kjetil Retterstøl; Lene F Andersen; Marit B Veierød; Ingunn Narverud; Leiv Ose; Arne Svilaas; Margareta Wandel; Kirsten B Holven

doi:10.1017/jns.2013.27

Children and young adults with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) have healthier food choices particularly with respect to dietary fat sources compared with non-FH children

J Nutr Sci. 2013 Oct 11:2:e32. doi: 10.1017/jns.2013.27. eCollection 2013.

Authors

Ingunn Molven¹, Kjetil Retterstøl¹, Lene F Andersen², Marit B Veierød³, Ingunn Narverud⁴, Leiv Ose¹, Arne Svilaas⁵, Margareta Wandel², Kirsten B Holven²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nutrition , Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway ; The Lipid Clinic, Oslo University Hospital , Oslo , Norway.
² Department of Nutrition , Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway.
³ Department of Nutrition , Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway ; Department of Biostatistics , Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway.
⁴ Department of Nutrition , Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway ; The Lipid Clinic, Oslo University Hospital , Oslo , Norway ; Department of Health, Nutrition and Management, Faculty of Health Sciences , Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences , Oslo , Norway.
⁵ The Lipid Clinic, Oslo University Hospital , Oslo , Norway.

Abstract

Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) leads to elevated plasma levels of LDL-cholesterol and increased risk of premature atherosclerosis. Dietary treatment is recommended to all patients with FH in combination with lipid-lowering drug therapy. Little is known about how children with FH and their parents respond to dietary advice. The aim of the present study was to characterise the dietary habits in children with FH. A total of 112 children and young adults with FH and a non-FH group of children (n 36) were included. The children with FH had previously received dietary counselling. The FH subjects were grouped as: 12-14 years (FH (12-14)) and 18-28 years (FH (18-28)). Dietary data were collected by SmartDiet, a short self-instructing questionnaire on diet and lifestyle where the total score forms the basis for an overall assessment of the diet. Clinical and biochemical data were retrieved from medical records. The SmartDiet scores were significantly improved in the FH (12-14) subjects compared with the non-FH subjects (SmartDiet score of 31 v. 28, respectively). More FH (12-14) subjects compared with non-FH children consumed low-fat milk (64 v. 18 %, respectively), low-fat cheese (29 v. 3%, respectively), used margarine with highly unsaturated fat (74 v. 14 %, respectively). In all, 68 % of the FH (12-14) subjects and 55 % of the non-FH children had fish for dinner twice or more per week. The FH (18-28) subjects showed the same pattern in dietary choices as the FH (12-14) children. In contrast to the choices of low-fat dietary items, 50 % of the FH (12-14) subjects consumed sweet spreads or sweet drinks twice or more per week compared with only 21 % in the non-FH group. In conclusion, ordinary out-patient dietary counselling of children with FH seems to have a long-lasting effect, as the diet of children and young adults with FH consisted of more products that are favourable with regard to the fatty acid composition of the diet.

Keywords: Children; Diet; Dietary fat sources; FH (12–14), FH subjects aged 12 to 14 years; FH (18–28), FH subjects aged 18 to 28 years; FH, familial hypercholesterolaemia; Familial hypercholesterolaemia.