Table 2

Nutrient pattern and some dietary fatty acids (mean ± SD) recorded in the no dietary advice and the dietary advice groups at baseline and after 36 months.

No Diet Intervention
 Diet Intervention


Baseline (n = 279)
 36 Months (n = 241)
 Baseline (n = 279)
 36 Months (n = 244)
 p
Energy (MJ)
 8.6 ± 2.0
 7.8 ± 1.8c
 8.5 ± 2.1
 7.7 ± 1.9c
 ns
Carbohydrates (g/d)
 247 ± 65
 228 ± 61a
 246 ± 71
 234 ± 63c
 ns
% of energy
 48.6 ± 6.2
 50.0 ± 6.4b
 49.1 ± 6.6
 51.7 ± 6.8c
 <0.01






Protein (g/d)
 82 ± 19
 76 ± 17c
 82 ± 19
 77 ± 19c
 ns
% of energy
 16.3 ± 2.3
 16.8 ± 2.4b
 16.6 ± 2.6
 17.1 ± 2.5a
 ns






Fat (g/d)
 73 ± 22
 62 ± 20c
 71 ± 24
 58 ± 20c
 ns
% of energy
 31.3 ± 5.5
 29.6 ± 5.4c
 30.4 ± 5.4
 27.6 ± 5.5c
 <0.05






Fatty acids (g/d)




     Saturated fat
 27.2 ± 9.9
 24.2 ± 8.5c
 27.0 ± 10.4
 21.4 ± 8.3c
 <0.01
     Monounsaturated fat
 27.0 ± 8.1
 20.1 ± 6.4c
 26.0 ± 8.7
 18.4 ± 6.3c
 ns
     Polyunsaturated fat*
 13.8 ± 5.0
 12.7 ± 4.9c
 12.5 ± 5.0
 13.1 ± 5.5
 <0.001
          Omega 6*
 10.0 ± 4.1
 9.9 ± 4.1
 8.9 ± 4.1
 9.9 ± 4.7b
 <0.01
          Omega 3†
 2.9 ± 1.3
 2.5 ± 1.2c
 2.8 ± 1.2
 2.7 ± 1.1
 <0.01
          α-linolenic acid*
 1.4 ± 0.6
 1.4 ± 0.6
 1.2 ± 0.6
 1.4 ± 0.6c
 <0.01
     P/S ratio*
 0.53 ± 0.17
 0.55 ± 0.16
 0.49 ± 0.16
 0.63 ± 0.17c
 <0.001

MJ: Megajoule, P/S ratio: Polyunsaturated/Saturated fat.

Saturated fatty acids: C14:0, C16:0, C18:0, Omega 6 fatty acids: C18:2, C20:4, Omega 3 fatty acids: C18:3, C20:5, C22:5, C22:6.

* refer to significant intergroup differences at baseline.

a p < 0.05, b p < 0.01, c p < 0.001 refer to within group changes from baseline to 36 months.

p refers to differences in changes from baseline to 36 months between the groups, ns = non significant.

† As subjects were included for trial of n-3 PUFA supplementation, this intake is not expressed in the table.

Eid et al. Nutrition & Metabolism 2006 3:4   doi:10.1186/1743-7075-3-4