The interrelationships of physical and dietary parameters with plasma lipids in healthy elderly subjects

Graduation date: 1976The interrelationships between physical measurements, dietary\ud intake of specific nutrients, and plasma lipids were examined in 19\ud healthy elderly subjects. The mean blood pressures, relative weights,\ud and skinfold thicknesses were within normal ranges, although women\ud tended to be more overweight. Systolic pressure and relative weight\ud were associated with increased body fatness, as measured by suprailiac\ud and subscapular skinfolds. On the average, the caloric intake of\ud these subjects was only 85% of the recommended dietary allowance;\ud carbohydrate supplied 48% and fat accounted for 33% of the calories.\ud The subjects consumed a low level of saturated fatty acids and\ud cholesterol but the dietary ratio of polyunsaturates to saturates was\ud similar to that of the typical American diet. Higher levels of dietary\ud fat were associated with higher intakes of saturated fatty acids and\ud cholesterol. The mean concentrations of cholesterol, phospholipids, and triglycerides in plasma were within the normal reported ranges;\ud these lipid fractions appeared to be uninfluenced by the composition of\ud the diet. The concentration of nonesterified fatty acids in plasma was\ud unusually high and positively correlated with age of the subjects.\ud There was also an unexplained correlation between plasma nonesterified\ud fatty acids and the linoleic acid content of the diet